Elders
by cyber viper42
Summary: Some riders have escaped the fall. Will they help Eragon unlock new powers that even the elves didn't know about? I stink at summaries. Just R and R. EragonArya. Rated T for safety. WARNING ELDEST SPOILER.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer:

I don't own anything that appears in the Eragon books all OCs and plots are mine only

Chapter 1:

The smoke was clearing away from the battlefield. Destruction and carnage was everywhere. Eragon and Arya were flying Saphira helping that Varden recover from the assault. They worked on healing as many of the Varden with their magic. Every once and a while Eragon and Arya would transfer some energy into Eragon's belt.

_Eragon, my wings are getting tired. I need to stop and land and rest for the rest of the day,_ Saphira said.

_Ok I'll tell Arya._ he replied. _Arya, Saphira says she can't go on flying us around and she needs to stop for the day. Are you going to help some more?_ Eragon asked.

_I think I'll stop for today, I'm exausted. Will you come and join me in my tent?_ she asked.

_Oh, um, ok I'll be there as soon as I can. Why do you want to have me in you tent?_ he replied.

_No reason, I just wanted to talk with you for a little while._ she promptly answered.

_Saphira, Arya isn't going to continue healing and she wants me to come join her in her tent to talk. Are you ok with that?_ he asked.

_I guess that I am, I wonder what she wants to talk about… very well, go but be back soon, you need your rest._ She replied.

_You know? I hate it when you are always right._ He said.

_I almost always am. _She smugly replied.

Eragon walked over to Arya's tent and was surprised to see that Roran was there, as well looking very nervous which was understandable around Arya. Eragon sat down on one side of the tent so he could look at Arya and Roran with out to much effort.

"Atra nosu waíse vardo fra eld hórnya," Arya said in a ripple of the ancient language. "Now we cannot be overheard."

"What are we going to be talking about that is so important so that we cannot be over heard?" asked Roran.

"Eragon's parantage and what part of this war you may play Roran." Arya answered.

"What do you know that I don't about my parentage?" asked Eragon, " Roran already knows that Morzan was my father and that Murtagh is my brother."

"But what you don't know is that you and I are closer related than you may think. My mother once had a mate for a short time before she met my father. Morzan. They didn't have me, but it is still a relation. So we are something like siblings, but with no blood relation." Arya was quiet for a while and then said, _I should have told you when you told Nasuada about Murtagh and Morzan. I'm sorry._

_It's ok. Saphira should know though._ Eragon said.

_She already knows I told her today and she told me to talk to you and Roran about it._

_Saphira you sly little trickster! _Eragon said.

_Whaaaat!? _Saphira smugly replied.

Roran sat there for a moment silent and then got up to leave saying "I need to run this through my head a few times by myself." He exited the tent leaving Eragon and Arya alone together.

"So that means you and Islanzdí are my family. Maybe Murtagh wasn't the one who would be from my family and betray me." Eragon said quietly.

Arya scooted over to him and laid her head on is shoulder. "Eragon I would never betray you, the Varden or the elves. I swore in the ancient language to do anything that would benefit al three of our races." Eragon put his arm around her.

"I know that you wouldn't." Eragon said trying to comfort Arya.

They sat there until night fires were beginning to be light. When Jarsha poked his head into the tent, did they move. Jarsha had come to inform Arya that Nasuada wanted Eragon and her to attend a meeting where Nasuada and King Orrin would decide what to do next.

"We must push on and destroy what is left of the Empire's army if we want a chance to win against this new rider as well as Galbatorix.-ah Eragon, Arya you're here have a seat." Nasuada was saying as they walked in.

What do you think we should do Shadeslayer?" Orrin asked.

"I think that we should press forward but we should some good magicians to infiltrate the empire's army as new recruits and try to sabotage as many things as possible in order to hinder, slow down and disable the empire's ability to fight." Eragon replied, "Then we should surround the Empire's army and give them a short amount of time to surrender before we go in and destroy them allowing no one to escape unless they swear in the ancient language to fight for us. Some of the Du Vrangr Gata can help any one who wants to help us with the pronunciation of the oath. Also arm as many of our troops with bows that we can scavenge from the empire's dead, as well as our own in order to reduce the amount of hand-to-hand combat we have to do."

"Your suggestion makes sense Shadeslayer, Arya, what do you think we should do?" asked Orrin.

"I don't really have any suggestions, but I think that we should follow the empire and harass their rear and inflict as much damage that we can do from a distance in order to reduce the number that we will lose." she answered.

"I fear that we cannot advance until all of our men are ready to march which may take a few days." Nasuada said, "We may lose our advantage of attacking a weakened force by then. Eragon, Arya, go and get a good night's rest. You will need it."

_Arya will you help me put more energy into the belt? I have a feeling that we both will need it in the days to come._ He asked.

_Eragon I will give you what I can but it may not be much. You should ask Saphira to help with that._ She replied.

_She already has. Before I went to go to you she put what energy she had and then fell asleep outside my tent._ He said back to her.

As they reached Arya's tent, the found it nearly destroyed and every one gathering around to stare at it. They both gasped and stared at it. In the center of the destruction was a dragon egg. It had green veins running through the white top.

"It looks like some one wanted to get this egg away from somewhere. This reminds me how Saphira came to me." Eragon glanced over at Arya who was carefully picking up the egg and holding it in her arms. _What are we going to do about this?_" he asked her with his mind, _Are you going to go back to Ellesméra to tell Islanzdí and Oromis?_

_Eragon, you must bring the egg back to Ellesméra on Saphira because I cannot get there as fast, nor would I take Saphira leaving you alone._ She answered with her mind so no one around them could hear her.

_I cannot leave the Varden, and some elves should be here soon to help the Varden and they are to protect me. I cannot leave._ He said.

_Then the egg must stay here. It will help embolden the men knowing that there is another dragon egg outside of Galbatorix's control._


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer:

I don't own anything that appears in the Eragon books all OCs and plots are mine only

Chapter 2:

Deep in side the Du Weldenvarden two riders and their dragons lay on the forest floor, too tired to move. They had been lost in the Du Weldenvarden for over a century. Their dragons had mated and had an egg in hope that they would be able to resurrect a new generation of riders outside of Galbatorix's control. The forest was dead around them because of all the energy they gathered and used to send their egg to Surda where they hoped a dragon rider would be able to be taught and be under the elves control. One of the riders, Yanon, was a male human and the other was a female half-elf named Àshrá. They had escaped from Galbatorix by flying into the Du Weldenvarden on their dragons, Zammíren and Saelí. They flew deep into the Du Weldenvarden and became lost even though they were on dragon back. They searched for a month for an elvish city or the edge of the Du Weldenvarden. They gave up after that and settled in a glade near a stream and built a hut. They fled their home in Urû'baen before they were able to finish their training so they made it a habit to continue doing the things that they did while they were still training. They dueled in the morning and then set about writing all of their knowlege onto scrolls that they made with magic until lunch. Afterwards they would practice their magic fly with Zammíren and Saelí. They kept this up for many years and they soon amassed a library of scrolls that they would go over once in a while to refresh their memory of magic. Together Yanon and Àshrá had convinced their dragons to mate in order to preserve the race of dragons and to give birth to a new generation of riders to fight Galbatorix.

"Oh my body, it hurts all over, it feels like Zammíren walked all over me," said Yanon breaking the silence, "How do you feel Àshrá?"

" I've been better," she replied.

_Yanon, I did not walk on you_, Zammíren said.

_We all are feeling the pain from pushing our limits on how much power we can use before dieing_, Saelí added, _I just hope our egg falls into the right hands._

"It will, I'm sure of it," Yanon said.

"Do you think that we should try to find our way out of this forest prison? If we get out we can go to the dwarves and see if they know the way to an elf city," Àshrá asked.

"We should get out of here I agree on that, but why not go to the Varden immediately and join the fight?" Yanon replied.

_Don't you think that we should complete our training before we openly oppose Galbortrix and reveal ourselves?_ Zammíren asked.

_I suppose the best thing that we can do is to gather all of the supplies that we will need for the trip_. Saelí said, _After that we should leave a marking on this place with magic so we can come back and get our library of scrolls_.

"I agree," said Yanon.

"As do I," Zammíren continued.

"Me three," added Àshrá.

_Then it is settled. We leave once we have completed all of our preparations_. Saelí finalized.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer:

I don't own anything that appears in the Eragon books all OCs and plots are mine only

Chapter: 3

Eragon and Arya quickly ran to Nasuada's tent to inform her of the discovery of the new egg.

_This will please Saphira greatly,_ Eragon said to Arya, _Oromis and Islanzdí must know about this as soon as possible._

Bursting into Nasuada's tent surprising Nasuada, Orrin, and all of their advisers and guards, Eragon and Arya quickly explained the egg's appearance.

"We must tell the Varden and the dwarves about this. This is the moral boost we need after Murtagh's appearance." said Nasuada, "We must protect this egg with our lives."

"I can place wards around the egg so that only Eragon, Saphira, and myself can hold it without dieing." Arya offered.

"If you have the strength, please do," Nasuada replied.

_Saphira, Arya found another dragon egg!_ Eragon said as he and Arya wlaked back to her tens to fix it. He also contacted Roran and told him as well. Soon a crowd gathered around Arya's tent, everyone wanting to see and if possible touch the egg. Saphira wraped herself around Eragon and Arya and allowed no one too close. Eragon soon fell asleep under Saphira's wing and slept soundly.

The next morning Eragon woke up to find Arya sprawled over the floor of her tent, a gedwëy insigna on her righ palm, and a white dragon hatchling curled against her side. The dragon's head shot up as Eragon approached and a growl sounded from its tiny mouth until Eragon revealed his own gedwëy insigna and said, "Eka fricai en Shur'tugal." When he said that, the growl stopped and was replaced by a puff of smoke and a twist of the head to look at Saphira who had just poked her head into the tent.

" Oh what happened?" Arya moaned as she slowly sat up rubbing her head," It feels like I just had too much energy flow through my body."

"Arya… You're a rider." Eragon said softly.

He paused for a moment to help Arya on to her bed before continuing," You must name your dragon, but first you must know its gender.'

_It looks male to me,_ Saphira mused.

_And just how do you know_? asked Eragon.

_Just a feeling_. Saphira said.

"I'm going to go tell Nasuada about this, she'll want to know." Eragon said to Arya as he headed to the entrance. Just as he left, Eragon heared a voice in his head, _Eragon_.

_Yes_? eragon asked slightly confused for it was a male voice and it was unfamiliar.

_I am Arya's dragon and I wish to ask you a question_. The voice replied.

_What is it_? Eragon promptly asked.

_Do you and Arya have strong feelings for each other_? Aray's dragon questioned.

_I can't speak for Arya, but I like her, why_? Eragon answered.

_Oh, just because I was wondering what connection you have with her besides being related…_ He trailed off, _You might want to wait for Arya, she is a little ways behind you_.

Eragon stopped and looked behind him and saw Arya walking towards him with her dragon on her shoulder looking at him. He waited for her and fell into step beside her as she passed him.

"Eragon, this is Slíthmìr." Arya said looking at her dragon, "And he is male if you were wondering."

"Well met Slíthmìr," Eragon said lowering his head in a small bow.

_Well met Eragon Shadeslayer_. The voice, which was Slíthmìr said.

Together, Eragon, Arya, and Slíthmìr entered Nasuada's tent while Saphira poked her head in the entrance, Arya sat down in a chair and Slíthmìr flapped over to Eragon's shoulder, who remained standing.

"Arya, is this the dragon form the egg you found last night? Our fortunes have indeed shifted," Nasuada said breaking the silence.

_Yes, my name is Slíthmìr, Arya's dragon. Is there any meat that I can have?_ he asked hopefully.

Nasuada chuckled and Slíthmìr twisted his head. "I am sure that we can get some meat for you." she said with a smile and then turned to Arya and asked, "Arya I need to know when you will return to Ellesmíra to receive the same training that Eragon has."

"I guess that I will return when Eragon returns to continue his training. I will need to ride Saphira in order to get there swiftly." She replied and then continued to Eragon and Saphira privetly, _I hope that you won't mind me joining you. I know that it will make you feel uncomfortable Eragon._

_I think I'll manage,_ he said with a half smile.

_I will be ready to go back to Ellesmíra tomorrow morning, so that will give both of you time to gather supplies and make all of the necessary arrangements._ Saphira said to Eragon and Arya.

_I need to free Elva of her curse and help Roran free Katrina from Helgrind_," Eragon said to Saphira and Arya, _I don't think that you will be able to come because I have to take Roran and if all goes well, return with Katrina. I hope that you won't mind staying around with the Varden for a few more days Arya._

_I won't mind it at all_, she replied, _I need a little time with Slíthmìr to get to know him better_.

"Nasuada I need to see Elva, do you know where she is?" he asked.

"She is with Angela who is taking care of her." Nasuada replied.

" Thank you I'll go find her." Eragon said leaving the tent while Slíthmìr hopped on to Arya's shoulder. Wandering about, he found Angela's tent and found Elva inside lying on a bed. She turned to see Eragon and said in a quiet voice, "Take this from me Shadeslayer."

Placing his hands on her and drawing on Saphira's strength, Eragon said, "Atra guliä un ilian tauthr ono un atra ono waíse sköliro fra iet vanyali un atra ono waíse sköliro fra rauthr"- may luck and happiness follow you and may you be shielded from my magic and may you be shielded from misfortune-. Eragon wasn't ready for the drain that the spell caused him to feel and he sank to his feet to tired to move.

Elva's face immediately sat up rejuvenated and seemed to be a little girl again. She turned to Eragon and said, _Thank you Shadeslayer._ And then she walked over to him, placed her hand on him and gave him an astounding amount of energy that seemed to come from no where for she didn't look fatigued by the amount that she gave. He immediately was freshened and was able to rejuvenate Saphira as well as add some of the energy to his belt.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer:

I don't own anything that appears in the Eragon books all OCs and plots are mine only

Chapter 4:

Riding north on Thorn, Murtagh stared straight ahead of him. _What am I going to do now Thorn?_ he asked.

_You must face Galbatorix and word your report in a way that will please him._ Thorn replied.

_I guess you are right,_ Murtagh replied after a pause, _That is the only thing I can do._

They flew on towards Urû'baen in silence until Murtagh spotted a flash of light. He knew what it was immediately; it was a spell being cast. Several more followed until an explosion ripped a clearing into the forest. The shock waves hit Thorn and made him suddenly start to fall. He turned out of the fall into a dive and headed to the recently created clearing.

_I think Galbatorix would want to know about this, let's check it out._ Thorn said.

They landed to find a young girl around Murtagh's age lying unconscious on one end of the clearing, and a man in is thirties on the other side sprawled out and unconscious as well.

_It looks as if we just found a battle between two magicians._ Commented Thorn as he surveyed the scene, _Should we wake them up and question them?_

_No this girl has a chain with a flat silver dragon attached to it. _Murtagh immediately replied. _I think that we should only wake one at a time and get both of their stories separately._

_That's a good idea, but I think I should remain out of sight until you need me._ Thorn said as he crawled off into the forest to hide.

_Alright, I'll wake the girl first._ Murtagh replied.

Murtagh walked over to the girl and said, "Letta draumr." His pam glowed for a minute until the girl's eyes opened. Their eyes locked and Murtagh felt all of his musles suddenly tighten up. He could not move.

_Who are you?_ asked a voice in his head, which he assumed was the girl.

_Just a friend who saw your fight._ Murtagh replied.

_Liar, you're Galbatorix's servant!_ the accusing voice rang in his head.

_No I am not his servant, but his slave,_ Murtagh paused before continuing, _He knows my true name and I have to obey him even if I don't want to._

_Are you going to kill me?_

_Only if you have found out my true name or you attack me._ Murtagh replied dryly.

_Oh._

"Draumr." The girl's eyes snapped shut and Murtagh rose and walked over to the man. "Letta draumr" his hand glowed for a moment and then the man's eye's opened.

"Thrysta vindr."

Murtagh flew up until he said, "Letta!" He stopped and then with a flick of his wrist, "Gágna," he started to slowly descend. The man was standing up now with a sneer on his face.

"Jierda!" the man cried as he raised his right hand.

"Letta!" Murtagh countered stopping the spell, "Gágna!" he said redirecting the spell towards a tree, which snapped in half. "Malthinae un rïsa" The man yelped at he felt chains of magic bind him and pull him off the ground. Murtagh grinned as he walked forward toward his prisoner and asked, "Why did you attack me?" The man's jaw tightened but he remained silent. "Jierda!" the man cried out in pain as his toe broke. "I will brake a bone in your body every time you don't answer my question!" Murtagh exploded with fustration. "Who are you?" Silence. "Jierda!" the man cried out as this time, his shinbone cracked in half. "I will heal you if you tell me what I know."

"How can you sustain the spell holding me for so long?" The man asked in pained voice.

"Through a terrible knowledge that grants me infinite power," Murtagh replied, "None can hope to compete with me except for Galbatorix." He stared at the ground for a moment. Then he finally asked, "Will you answer my questions?"

"Yes…What do you wish to know?" The man rasped.

"Why did you attack me?"

"I was ordered by the Varden to infiltrate the Empire's magician core and sabotage their efforts. I was caught by this girl, who is the magician general and she brought me out here to kill me, but I retaliated."

"Hmmmm…Will you swear to serve me and obey me?" Murtagh asked.

"Yes," adopting the ancient language the man said," I will serve and obey you and not cause you any harm or injury."

"Wäise hael." The man groaned as his muscle and bones knitted back together. "Draumr." The man slumped asleep on that ground after Murtagh lowered him gently. He stood between the man and the girl and pondered what to do next.

_Why don't you take over the girl's mind and examine her memories to see if it backs up the man's story._ Thorn suggested.

"_Ok_."

Murtagh awoke the girl with magic, threw aside her defenses and examined her memories and found that the man spoke the truth. The girl was indeed a member of the Empire's magician corps, and was in-fact their general. Murtagh decided to wake the girl. "Letta Draumr." The girl flew to her feet and started to draw her sword when Murtagh barked, "Letta!", freezing the girl in place.

"Why do you stop me from killing this traitor?" She asked with bitterness in her voice.

"He has sworn in the ancient language that he will serve me. He is no longer an enemy of the empire."

"Who are you" The girl asked suddenly curious, "How did you get here?"

_Thorn will you please make a dramatic enterance?_ Murtagh asked in a hurry, "I am a dragon rider, The First Son of Morzan." He said to the girl.

Murtagh felt the man and girl's terror when they heard Thorn's roar from above the clearing. "Don't be afraid, he won't hurt you unless you attack me or him."

"What are you going to do with us?" the girl asked visibly frightened, "Are you going to take us to Galbatorix?"

"Perhaps…" Murtagh said with a cruel smile," Gagné!" Both the man and the woman flew to Thorns back where Murtagh held them there with magic, he mounted Thorn and they took off for Urû'baen.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer:

I don't own anything that appears in the Eragon books all OCs and plots are mine only

Chapter 5:

Eragon and Roran sat of Saphira's saddle headed for Helgrind where Roran's fiancé Katrina was being held captive by the Ra'zac.

"When we get there, leave the Ra'zac to me. They will kill you if you attempt to kill them. Only I can kill them and Saphira can take care of their mounts if I cannot get them fast enough." Eragon instructed Roran, "You need to get to Katrina, free her and then protect her."

"Alright." Roran replied quietly.

Soon Helgrind was in sight and two black specks separated from the mountain turning towards Saphira.

_Get ready,_ Saphira told her riders, _Buckle in tight!_

Saphira tore through the air with such speed that Eragon was soon in range to kill the Ra'zac.

"Jierda!" he cried raising his hand. The Ra'zac and their mounts died at once from his spell. Saphira slowed down and landed on the hard surface of Helgrind's top. There, in a sheltered alcove, Katrina hung from chains. "Jierda!" Eragon said cracking the manacles open releasing Katrina who fell into Roran's arms. They hugged and kissed for a moment before Eragon spotted Sloan a little ways off and called Roran over. Roran drew his hammer and was about to come down on Sloan's chest with a little tap to wake him up when Sloan opened his eyes and shouted, "You'll never escape from the monsters! You are all doomed!"

Eragon put him to sleep with a quick spell and took him off the wall where he hung.

"Roran, I want you to watch over Katrina and Sloan while I go for a moment to get some things." Eragon instructed. _I want to get the Ra'zac's swords as proof that they are dead, and because I have a feeling that they are stolen Elvin blades._

_Ok you could use those blades until you get a riders sword._ Saphira said as she glided over to the two prone Ra'zac. With magic, Eragon brought the swords to his hands, and Saphira headed back to Helgrind to pick up her passenger. "_It's going to get crowded on the saddle with four people._" She commented as she landed next to Roran.

_I think that we can put Katrina to sleep and strap Sloan and her to Your belly like we did with Arya after Gil'ead, we do have some rope._

_Alright._

Eragon strapped Katrina and Sloan on to Saphira and then noticed some thing strange. Deep in the caves of Helgrind, Eragon's elfish sight, allowed him to detect a faint green light. Too curious to let it pass, he called Roran over and they both started in.

_Be careful in there. You don't know if there is a trap or other Ra'zac in there. _Saphira hissed.

_Don't worry, we should be fine, we will be out quickly, that light can't be too far away._ Eragon replied as they entered the caves. He cast an orb or werelight that bounced along that the ceiling of the cave. It was enough light so that Roran could see where he was going, but dim enough that it didn't sap Eragon's strength at a fast pace.

As the rounded a corner, they entered a large cavern an orb of blue light hovered around a pedestal and Eragon could make out an object that looked a lot like a green dragon egg. The blue orb became fainter as Eragon stepped forward to take the egg. When his hand touched the egg's surface, there was a sudden ball of compressed air forming in front of him. Eragon scooped up the egg, grabbed Roran and Dashed out of the cavern in time to see that where they were just standing, had been destroyed by a chunk of the ceiling. The rest of the Cavern began to fall in on itself, and the entire mountain started to crumble starting around the cavern. Eragon ran to the entrance and jumped on to Saphira who took off as soon as Roran was strapped in.

Looking back over his shoulder, Eragon saw a cloud of dust billowing out to the cave entrance and hundreds of people streaming out of Dras'leona to get a better view of what had happened.

_I guess that after the Varden stole me both Thorn and this egg were placed in Helgrind for protection against theft. It was wise, because everyone thought that they were still in Urû'baen. _Saphira said after that had flown for a few minutes.

_I suppose so._ Eragon said pulling out the Ra'zac's swords. He cast several spells over them to detect any traps, or poisons, which there weren't. He yanked on out of its sheath and frowned. They were indeed elfish blades it the poetic scrip in the blade was any indication, but something felt odd about them.

_They have power in them_ Saphira commented

_I know, it feels like a source of energy itself…as if it was…alive…_Eragon struggled to spit out the word because of the preposterous thought that a sword was alive.

_We should ask Arya about this, she might be able to tell us what it is._ Saphira said

_I might as well keep them and try to learn how to fight with two swords now that Zar'oc is gone. They are elfish blades anyway, so they are better that dwarvish and human swords. _Eragon said with a tired sigh. The last two days of Riding Saphira had left him sore and exhausted. Roran was no better and tempers occasionally flared up fore a moment before subsiding. They flew on and didn't stop for the night, but kept going until they arrived in Aberon in the late morning.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer:

I don't own anything that appears in the Eragon books all OCs and plots are mine only

Chapter 6:

After landing, Eragon and Roran took Katrina and Sloan to the healers where Roran stayed so he could be by Katrina. Eragon removed his sleeping spell and stepped back to watch what would happen. Sloan's eyes immediately snapped open and he turned to see Roran standing by Katrina.

"What in the blazes are you doing here," He cried, "Get away from my daughter!" As he stood up to go attack Roran, Eragon pushed him back down on to the bed with one powerful arm. "What to you want elf," he glared at Roran, "That boy stole my daughter from me!"

"He never 'stole' your daughter, your daughter left your abusive care to be with Roran." Eragon said with a calm but powerful voice. Just then Arya walked in to see what was going on.

"I heard shouting. Is everything alright Eragon?" She asked in her musical voice.

"It was when Sloan was asleep, Arya. He has caused nothing but trouble since he woke up." Eragon replied and then turned to Sloan to see confusion spread across his face as well as Katrina's who had woken when Arya came in.

"Where are we, an elfish city?" Katrina asked.

"No you are in Surda." Arya replied softly.

"Who are you?" Sloan demanded.

"I am Eragon Shadeslayer and this is Arya of Ellesmíra." Eragon said answering Sloan.

"Do I know you from somewhere? You look familiar in some way." Katrina asked in a small voice.

"You know me very well, Roran is my cousin." Eragon said looking at Katrina.

"How did you get to look like an elf then boy?" Sloan demanded. Eragon looked at Arya asking _Should I tell them about you and I being riders?_

_Not yet. _Arya replied.

"I cannot tell you much except one thing. Dragons." He and Arya left after leaving instructions with the healers to make sure Sloan is kept away from Roran.

Together they walked out to Saphira and Lifskul who was jumping and flying around Saphira.

_He thinks that I am his big sister or something like that._ Saphira said to both Eragon and Arya _You might not want to take it out here Eragon._

"Take what out?" Arya asked glaring at Eragon, "Tell me."

"Not here. In private." Eragon said quietly earning him a frown from Ayra. Arya followed Eragon to his room and sat patiently until Eragon reveled the green dragon egg. Arya just gaped at it.

"Where did this come from?" She demanded.

"Helgrind, Saphira and I think that Galbatorix put it there for safe keeping. No sane person would go there and think that there was an egg there." Eragon replied.

"Clever… What shall we do with it, Galbatorix may be so mad about losing it that he may attack us himself." Arya asked worried.

_Have any elves arrived from Ellesmíra?_ Saphira asked as she stuck her head through a window in Eragon's room.

"No not yet," Arya said with a sigh.

_Oh…Then have the Varden pass before this egg as the Riders of Old did with theirs._ Lifskull suggested as he appeared over Saphira's head flying on to the bed.

"Fine, that's probably the best thing that we can do until they arrive." Eragon said.

"Ok, I'll alert Nasuada and have all the children from 12-16 come to the sparring fields. That's the biggest place around, and there will probably a crowd there whether we ask for them or not." Arya said as she stood and left with Lifskul following her like a dog, even though he was about twice the size of one. "Good bye Eragon…"

"Wait!" Eragon said and Arya halted and turned to face him.

"What is it?" She asked confused.

"Can you help me identify these swords as elf or dwarf made…?" Eragon asked as he pulled out the Ra'zac's swords.

"You took them from their bodies didn't you." Arya said glaring daggers at Eragon.

"Yes. Is there something wrong with that? I need a good sword and these are the next best things that I can get if they are elf made. They aren't rider's swords so they will never be like Zar'oc." Eragon asked meeting her glare in a way that made her flinch. No one ever dared to make eye contact with her if she was angry. The fact that Eragon did it now unnerved her.

"These were stolen by a shade from a rider, who gave them to the Ra'zac. The rider's name was Éragön. The shade killed him when he slept in Ellesmíra, the shade was hunted down by Éragön's dragon, and killed it but at the same time died from the shade's magic." Arya said with a hard, stone-like face before turning and marching out. Lifskul paused for a moment before leaving saying,

_Éragön was Arya's Great grandfather._ He turned and padded after Arya after finishing.

_That explains Arya expression._ Saphira said staring at the door.

_These blades are then rightfully hers._ Eragon remarked walking out after her, _I'm giving them to her._

_I'm glade that you realized that that is the right thing to do. By the way I'll be ready to return to Ellesmíra in about three days, which gives the egg enough time to hatch should it decide to. _Saphira said pulling her head out of the window.

_Ok…I'll tell Arya._

Eragon ran and caught Arya just as she was reaching Nasuada's chambers.

"Arya these swords rightfully belongs to you. I cannot keep them." Eragon said panting for breath and holding out the swords to her.

"Eragon…I already have a sword. Even if they are my Great grandfather's blades, I cannot wield them.

"Why? You are a rider, you need a rider's blade." Eragon asked confused.

"My sword is a rider's blade…it was my Great grandfather's brother's sword." Arya whispered. And muttered a few words in the ancient language over her sword and it immediately started to change shape and color. When it was done, Eragon gaped at an identical sword to Zar'oc, but pure white. "I want you to have those swords Eragon, you need them." She paused an then pushed the swords back toward Eragon and grabbed his hand pulling him into Nasuada's room.

"Eragon, Arya, Lifskul, what brings you here?" Nasuada asked surprised at their entrance. Eragon reveled the egg and explained its origins and Arya asked for the children to meet at the sparring grounds that next morning.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey I just realized something. When CP says '…the Du Weldenvarden…' he is literally saying the, the guarding forest, or more literally, the, the warder forest, in the Ancient Language. Hmmmmm his own language is contradicting itself. Seven chappies in two nights, wow. You readers won't be so luck in the future. I may be down to one chapter a week uploaded. School is getting in the way of typing my hand written stuff, so I cannot update too fast. My parents don't even know ) that im doing this. They'd hate it.**

**Oh well to the story!!!!**

Disclaimer:

I don't own anything but the plot and the characters and places that don't appear in Eragon and Eldest.

Chapter 7

The next morning, the sparing fields were jammed full of people and even then, people were still waiting to get in. The Varden's army was trying to direct traffic, but it didn't help much. The entire morning was spent letting the children touch the egg and have the egg not hatch for them. Hours went by and finally Elva touched the egg. She was the last child in line, and then a squeak emanated from the egg. And after several tense minutes, the green dragon finally emerged from its egg licking the membrane off of it. Everyone else started to mutter among themselves. Everyone was wondering why a dragon had hatched for a child with an adult mind, a child's body, yet barely 2 years old.

"Touch it." Eragon and Arya prompted Elva in unison, which caught them off guard, and the both smiled at the coincidence. When Elva touched the green hatchling, she started to glow and Eragon was able to see a small blue aura around her until it abruptly faded when she regained consciousness.

"Welcome to the Riders Elva." Eragon said in a soft voice.

"Thank you…is it a boy or a girl?" Elva asked Arya unsure if to be formal or not.

"When it starts to talk to you, you can tell its gender by the voice." Arya replied smiling, "Lifskul started to talk the morning after hatching, and Saphira started to talk after a month or so. You may never know when it happens…Come, let us return to Eragon's room, that is big enough for all of us."

"Why do you always want to meet in my room?" Eragon asked annoyed.

"Because I can find it easily. My room is secluded." Arya replied.

All three mounted Saphira and took off while Lifskul flew and the hatchling sat on Elva's lap humming. When they all got into Eragon's room, Ayra quickly muttered a spell to keep their conversation private.

_We must leave for Ellesmra as soon as Elva's dragon can fly as well as Lifskul can right now. I think Saphira can hold their weight and ours if we pack light. _Eragon said to Arya.

_I hope so, I don't think we will be going very fast if Lifskul and the hatchling have to fly to whole thing themselves._ Arya responded.

_Well, we could use that time in the desert to train Elva and to teach you about the rider's history. _Eragon said optimistically.

By the time Saphira landed outside Eragon's window, Elva jumped off and ran inside and jumped onto the bed. Her hatchling flew in as well and curled up next to her and fell asleep. Eragon and Arya walked slowly up the stairs contemplating what to do with Elva's training.

"I am the only human rider outside of Galbatorix's control, as Brom was before me. I guess we should follow the training regime that Brom put me through, for Elva." Eragon said as they reached the top and turned in to his room.

"That would make sence because it would follow the agreement that Brom formed before he died, regarding you, the next rider." Arya said putting a hand on his shoulder. Eragon shuddered inwardly at her touch, but kept it inside and didn't let his shudder appear on his skin. "Oh sorry…you aren't used to me yet. We will have to fix that sooner or later." Eragon groaned. "What is it? Are you all right?" Arya looked at him worriedly.

"I don't need to work on getting to become accustomed to your touch, I need to worry about training you and Elva. Saphira has her work cut out for her as well."

_That I do, little ones._ Saphira's voice passed through their minds as Eragon saw her smile outside his window.

"Eragon, What is going to happen to me now that I am a rider?" Elva asked as he and Arya stepped into his room.

"Well, we will head to the Du Weldenvarden and I hope by the time we get there, you will be able to use magic." Eragon answered her.

"I'll be able to use magic in less than a week? Wow that's way faster than you." Elva exclaimed.

"We may just be traveling by foot because your hatchling and Lifskul won't be able to lift either of you. It would be better that way, because Saphira could teach them how to fly well in the desert without too much interference. The desert is a great place to fly. It will be a good place to learn." Eragon started to explain.

"But I want to learn magic right now!" Elva burst out.

"Patience, Patience. You must learn to be patient with things. Magic is deadly to anyone who rushes into it to fast. I suppose that it may be better to get you started here." Eragon continued.

"Why here?" Elva and Arya asked at once.

"Because it has a well where we can get here to use magic." Eragon answered them.

"There's a magic well here?" Elva asked, "I haven't heard of one."

"There isn't a magic well, all we need is a normal well and several hours to days."

"Let's get started then!" Elva squealed.

They all walked out and headed to the courtyard of the palace. Eragon stood by a well, and punched a hole in the bottom with magic. The hole was just big enough so that almost all of the water came out when the bucket reached the top of the well. Eragon dragged a troth 20 feet from the well that had a small leak in it. "Fill this troth with this bucket. Oh and try 'Letta du adurna.'"

"What? That's impossible! I won't do it!" Elva stood by the well with her hands on her hips.

"You want to learn how to use magic, then do this, there is no other way right now." Eragon said walking toward his room. Arya followed him a moment later.

**Ok people. That is a moderate chapter for me. That was like 2 whole pages. I have like a total of like 20+ chapters planed so please keep up reading and reviewing. I'll try to have some longer chapters. I have written out a chapter that may be like a whole 5+ pages long, and no it's not the final chapter. I still haven't finished outlining my plot. I may only be half way there with 20 chapters.**

**On another note, does anyone else but me like Weird Al? His music is like the only thing keeping me going through long all nighters—besides the mountain due, sugar and pizza.**

**Read and review!!!!!!!!!!**


	8. Chapter 8

**I am basing this chapter on other fanfics. Based on what Brom said in Eragon, there are only two customary ways to get a rider to use magic for the first time. Nothing but well thing is from another fanfic, b/c there is nothing else to do. Other fanfics have the other one…please don't sue me.**

Disclaimer:

I don't own anything but the plot and the characters and places that don't appear in Eragon and Eldest.

Chapter 8:

Eragon stared out of his window looking at Elva running around in the courtyard bellow. "I wonder when she will finally use magic." He sighed. It had been two hours already and there was no end in sight.

"She will finally have it snap eventually. It may take a few months before she can use it, just like the way you didn't use magic until your travels with Brom." Arya replied looking over at him and out the window.

"I just wish she would just—"

"LETTA DU ADURNA!!!"

"Ok our wait is over." Arya said jumping out the door running to the courtyard, whereas Eragon just jumped out the window, falling 20 feet unharmed thanks to his Elfish abilities. Both riders ran to the prone form of Elva and arrived in time to find her regaining consciousness.

"Whoh, what just happened?" Elva sat up looking at Eragon. "Was that magic?"

"By the way your hand glowed, and the water actually obeyed you, I'd say that it was magic." Arya said looking at Elva in a way that just read, as 'duh' to Eragon, but Elva didn't notice.

"Can I do that again right now?" Elva asked impatiently.

"No I think that you'd better rest and try something a little easier tomorrow." Eragon said to Elva in a gentle but firm manor.

"Come, let's go and walk for a while first." Arya said motioning to Eragon and Elva to go to a hill, just outside the city walls. When Arya joined them, she was carrying a small package about two-and-a-half feet long. When she unraped it, she presented a newly made dwarven sword to Elva. "Eragon, do you want to do this?"

"Duel her? I guess so…one second." Eragon drew one sword from its sheath and put the belt and other blade on the ground. After blocking both blades, and warning Elva about the possibility of broken bones, they dueled. For the next half hour, Eragon instructed Elva on how to hold the blade, what stance to use in different forms of aggressive, defensive and neutral blocks. When they were done, Elva had more purple skin on her than normal colored skin. She promptly went into Eragon's room and fell asleep on the bed. Eragon and Arya went to go get some food and brought some back for Elva if she woke up. They sat on the windowsill, feet dangling off the ledge, for some time, talking about different ways to instruct Elva and her hatchling.

"We don't even know if the hatchling is male or female." Eragon mumbled into his floating orb of water that he drew from the well that Elva was drawing from earlier that day.

"Saphira may be able to help us find that out if you ask her." Arya suggested.

"Hmmmm…That would be well, it Saphira wasn't off flying with the two trying to teach them how to fly." Eragon replied munching on his salad. He was, in comparison to Arya, a very messy eater.

"I wonder what eh future holds for us." Arya said out of the blue staring at the sunset.

"War, battles, deaths, training…the list goes on." Eragon relied.

"No. I mean between us. Now that we are equals, both of us being riders and all…It would be more and more possible to be together." Arya leaned against Eragon's shoulder.

"I thought that you said that we could never be. I am just a human and you're the queen's daughter and an elf, and now a rider." Eragon responded in a worried tone.

"Don't be worried. Things have changed. You are more elf than human now, even Sloan thought that you were and elf. Only the people who knew you before the Blood Oath Celebration know that you have no elfish blood in you." Arya replied trying to get Eragon to look her in the eye.

"We shouldn't do anything. I expect that Oromis will want me to train you and Elva once we get to Ellesmíra." Eragon said stiffening as Elva stirred in her sleep.

"You once wanted me more than anything. You have changed Eragon, you have changed."

"Physically or mentally?"

"Both." Arya pulled away from him and placed her dishes inside the door and then returned. She stood behind him and placed her hands on both of his shoulders. "I think that we both need each other and we have just been putting up barriers." Eragon nearly fell off of the windowsill because of the touch, but ha managed to grab on to the sill and pull himself back up. The noise of his near fall woke up Elva.

"Are you trying to break you neck?" Elva said sitting up, "every time I look at you, you are always tripping, or cursing people." The tease worked and Eragon sumped his shoulders and stalked off into the nearest corner.

"No fair. Two against one is a bad mismatch, especially if they are all riders."

_Even untrained riders?_ Lifskul asked gliding into the room and tackling Arya back onto the bed. Eragon grinned at this and stood up.

"I guess I would have a slight advantage on Saphira, but dead on land." Eragon smiled as he walked over to the mess of tails, arms, and heads, that were piled up on his bed.

_Just the way it should be little one._ Saphra said poking in through the window.

_Can these two start the trip tomorrow to Ellesmíra?_ Eragon asked slightly nervous of staying in the castle for too long because of the amount of food that Saphira ate. _You are eating the Varden out of house and home._

_I think so. _Saphira said twisting her head to get a better view of the mess. _Do you have a crow bar? You may need one in order to make any use of you bed tonight._

_Alright, mind if I borrow a claw?_

It only took a matter of minutes but in the end, The mess was cleared and Eragon was finaly able to lay down to sleep when the sun had finished setting. A few hours later, A dark shape detached itself from the castle wall and moved stealthily towards Eragon's room and entered it.

**Dun Dun Dun DUNNNN. A Mini cliffie! Random I know but still a cliffie. Please R and R, so far I have gotten three reviews. I would like more! I know it's the first day the fic is up and all, but I'd like to have more than 5 by chapter 10.**

**gasp an impossible number I know.**

**All reviewers rock and get a ty!!**

**See ya all next time!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Ok people. I got a review (the fourth so far!) saying that I am rushing into the story a little, so I have decided to slow it down. If I slow it down, I risk running up to about 60 chapters for this story. Is it worth it? It would take me like a year to do that…**

**Anyway, to the story!!!**

**Read and Review!!!!!!**

Disclaimer:

I don't own anything but the plot and the characters and places that don't appear in Eragon and Eldest.

Chapter 9:

The guards on the wall noticed nothing until a yell emanated from Eragon's room. The clang of swords resounded a moment later along with Saphira's angry roars. Lights flooded the courtyard and two shapes hurled out of a window. One landed gracefully, while the other rolled to break its fall. Saphira light a row of torches on fire, and then everyone could see the combatants. Eragon was standing in the center of the courtyard with a bloodied sword in his hand. About 10 feet from him stood an imposing figure. Wrapped in a black cloak with only a pair of red lights glowing from inside a hood, intruder stood erect with a long silver sword in its hand. The newcomer showed no fear of Saphira and seemingly ignored her.

"Who the hell are you?" Eragon demanded. The thing laughed and then drew back its hood to revile a death white elfish head with pointed ears and a glowing red for eyes. Arya ran in and stopped in her tracks as soon as she saw the creature.

"You…" Her voice was filled with distain as she walked closer. "I thought you were dead. How are you still alive?"

"Quite simply Arya svit-kona. I was never in material form when we were together, all you stabbed was dark shifting matter." Its voice, obviously male, was a low and ominous and Eragon could sense a feeling of untamed power residing around him.

"Arya who is this?" Eragon demanded

"A rider who has the ability to use dark magic, yet remain good." Arya said in a quite voice.

"What? I can do more than that, you know that Arya." He turned to Eragon and said, "I am Xen (pronounced as zen). I am Arya's older brother." He smirked. "Surprise!"

"Hmmm…so what are you doing here, trying to kill me?" Eragon asked.

"No, no…I was trying to attack Arya and try to surprise her, but obviously you were in the room she always stayed in before her dragon hatched." He pointed to Saphira. "Is this not your dragon dear sister?"

"No. That is Saphira, Eragon's dragon." Elva said walking in oblivious to the danger that Xen presented. Xen whirled around and stared at her.

"What gives you the right to talk to a rider in an informal voice little girl?" He asked.

"Aside from the fact that I am a rider," Elva showed her palm, "He is my teacher and doesn't mind it at all."

"That is no reason! Its just—"

"The truth." Eragon finished for him, "And if you won't mind, I at the very least would like to sleep." He yawned and moved to sheath his sword, but found Xen's sword at his neck before he had gone six inches. "Yes?"

"We aren't finished. I want to duel you." He blocked his sword with magic. "Take your place."

"Very well, if you insist." Eragon stepped back a pace and assumed a defensive stance.

"Hmmm…caution, very interesting" Xen mused.

"Eragon, you don't want to do this, he is more powerful than even me, even if this is only his partial material form." Arya stepped between them and pulled Eragon away.

"I'd like to see how powerful though." Eragon said resisting and leaped at Xen. Eragon didn't end up hitting Xen the whole duel; it was like the time when he first dueled Brom on the plains. No matter what he did, even when improvising, he couldn't touch the elf. Then he noticed something edging along Xen's blade. It was a pale red and it looked like Xen was trying to keep it from Eragon's sword, but in the end, it reached Eragon's sword and blazed into his skin. Eragon stood stock-still and then toppled to the ground unconscious.

"What did you do to him?" Arya shouted at her brother, but turned to see him gone. She held Eragon's head in her lap and started to attempt to heal him, but she found nothing wrong. His mind and body were sound, yet he wouldn't wake, no matter what waking spell Arya cast on him. She was able to get him to the infirmary where Sloan was before sitting down to rest. She ran through her mind trying to think of what had just happened. She placed her hand on Eragon's chest and began to cast a spell, when Eragon opened his eyes.

"Whoa, how'd I get here?" He asked.

"I dragged and carried you here. You should seriously consider losing weight, I actually had to rest after bringing you here." She replied.

"Hey! It's not my fault that muscle weighs more than fat. I need all this muscle in order to fight." Eragon complained.

"Still…" she trailed off as Sloan stirred and woke.

"You love birds getting along all right? You sound like a couple when you argue." Sloan smirked at his comment and waited for a reply.

"You should know that both of us are riders, so we have to be together to train. We can't help it if we have actual conversations once and a while." Eragon said yawning. "What time is it? I'm starved!"

"It's only three hours till dawn, you should get some sleep." Arya replied

"On this thing they call a bed? Forget it! I would be more comfortable on a floor any day, and flipped over so that he was close to the edge, and then rolled off and landed on his back in a cloud of dust, and sneezed. "Doesn't any one ever clean back here?"

_No, of course not, its too small a place to clean, now get some sleep. _Arya's voice rang through his head.

_Yes your highness._ He said sighing.

_Don't make me come back there and slap you. Now be quiet. _She paused as if to wait for a response but none came. _Did you hear me? Answer!_

_I thought you said to be quiet._ Eragon said.

_You're impossible. _Arya responded

_I know. I'll shut up and sleep. You should as well. _Eragon sent an image of him grinning to Arya.

_I am already asleep. We should leave tomorrow. Saphira says that the hatchling can fly well enough to start the trip. _Arya said.

_Alright, we can leave in the morning. _Eragon said and rolled over, and went to sleep.

**Wow two chapters in one day. I'm spoiling you. Don't expect this all the time; I don't really have any homework, so I'm free as a bird to do what a want. **

**Ok I need a name for Xen's dragon. I can't come up with a good one. I am thinking of having it male, but if I get a really good female name, I'll use it.**

**The person who submits the name I choose gets their name on the chapter that I revile Xen's dragon. I'm thinking of a red dragon, but by the time the story is finished, there will be three if I make this one red…oops, I just gave some things away. Oh well, it will keep you on your toes.**

**READ AND REVIEW**

**All me reviewers are awesome people with advise and comments that I pay attention to, seeing as this is my first fanfic.**

**Chapter 10 is coming within a week. **

**Should I just skim over a month of Elva's training and just get to Ellesmíra?**

**I can't decide. It would be long and boring so I'm considering skimming.**

**So long!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Ok I'll post any reviews that I get from now on (as best I can) on the chapter right after they are given. Hope that encourages reviewers. **

**READ AND REVIEW**

**I'm starting to sound like a broken record here.**

**Ok to the Story**

Disclaimer:

I don't own anything but the plot and the characters and places that don't appear in Eragon and Eldest.

**Ok I'm trying something new. The little dashes across the screen means a different place or person POV. **

Chapter 10:

By the time Murtagh had landed, both the man and woman had awoken and were now frightened to death. Murtagh couldn't help but smile; Thorn was very intimidating. Murtagh ignored their screams as Thorn dove down to the courtyard of Galbatorix's castle. Thorn snapped open his wings at the last moment and landed with a small thump and click as his claws hit the rock ground. Murtagh removed and bound his captives with magic, to a bench. He then busied himself with carefully removing Thorn's saddle and storing it away. By the time he had finished, Galbatorix's figure could be seen striding towards them.

"Well? I don't see the great big blue dragon and her rider? Where are they?" He shouted in a rage. "I ordered you to capture them! How did you fail me?"

"Well, it's quite simple, they escaped me using a sly trick. Before I recovered, they were beyond reach of magic." Murtagh coolly replied in the ancient language. He was using half-truths in order to escape unnoticed about the true details of the battle. _I am just holding out for a little more time. I am still going to be punished, so why am I waiting? He's going to find out anyway. _Murtagh said to Thorn.

_It's because there is good in you. Galbatorix hasn't enslaved you completely yet. _Thorn replied.

"—Hmmmm…now who do we have here? A pair of naughty lovers? Why did you bring them to me?" Galbatorix demanded.

"Well besides the fact that they blew a clearing into a dense forest with magic, I thought that you could use some more magicians." Murtagh responded. "Oh, and the man has sworn to only serve and obey me in the Ancient Language."

"Yes ok, the man can become your personal assistant. He will be useful to you, undoubtedly. Nothing like a good servant, isn't that right son-of-my-friend?"

"Yes sir."

"Come, all of you, let's see what you can do." Galbatorix said turning around and stalking off to the dragon hold.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Eragon woke to the sounds of Sloan's snores. It had only been a few days, and Sloan's wounds and injuries had been healing very slowly. He wasn't lying on the floor, though and that bothered him. Some nurse must have hauled his carcass on to the painfully stiff bed. As he sat up, he groaned as stiff muscles and joints scraped across each other.

_Had a good night's sleep little one?_ Saphira asked from her customary post under Eragon's room's window.

_As well as one can on a sick bed, oof. Want to go flying for a little while? _He asked.

_Sure, we can leave the saddle behind, we won't be long, Arya and Elva will want to leave as soon as possible. In fact, Arya is in your room packing up your stuff right now, I don't think we will get away unnoticed. _She told him.

_With all the noise you make taking off, you'd be like a magnet for Arya sensitive ears. _Eragon commented.

_True e will get enough flying time today as it is though. I just wish that Elva's hatchling would talk. I mean—_

_Eragon…_

_Um Saphira, did you hear that?_

_Yup female, but not me._

_Eragon…_

_Are you Elva's dragon?_

_Elva…? ... Elva._

_Hmmmm Are you with her?_

_Elva._

_Sounds just like you when you were little Saphira—Coming hatchling._

_Elva._

As Eragon dashed through the halls of the castle, he finally found Arya and Elva.

"She's talking." Elva said as Eragon arrived.

"I know." Eragon replied.

"How?" Arya asked.

"She talked to me, all she said was 'Elva…Elva…Elva…' Annoying as hell if you ask me, but Saphira was the same when she was young."

"Annoying?" Elva asked.

"Yup, and repetitive." Eragon replied as he felt Saphira 'humf' through their connection at this.

"Are you all ready to get going? I still have some things to pack." Arya said. "Oh, and Eragon, I packed—"

"—my things I know, Saphira told me." Eragon finished for her.

"We'll go tell Nasuada." Elva said while her hatchling said _Elva, _Quite firmly.

"Meet in the courtyard in one half hour and we will leave, I want to check up on Roran before we go.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_I wish Katrina would just get healed. I'm tired of being told by those 'healers' that all they need is a few more days, and she will be fine, then they need a few more. Humf. I wish they could just magic her healthy again. I bet Eragon could do that._

"You're right cousin, and I will to prove it." Eragon said opening up the door.

"Right about what?" Roran stammered at his entrance.

"The fact that I can heal her. I will do it right now. But all I can do is heal the flesh, she will have to regain the strength on her own." Eragon said to Roran, earning himself a stare from a passing nurse who stopped to peered in through the open door. "WAÍSE HEILL!" (That's what it says in the little Ancient language dictionary at the back of Eragon.) Roran and the Nurse gasped as Katrina was swallowed in a pale indecent light and then sat up as the light faded. Roran thanked Eragon, who left, and turned to Katrina and hugged her tightly.

_Thank you Eragon._

_You are quite welcome_. He replied through Roran's mind startling him a little.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Where the hell is he? He is the one who said a half hour! _Arya thought to herself.

_Maybe Nasuada tied him up a little longer that expected. Ahh here he is! Now we can go! _Lifskul exclaimed.

"What took you so long, why do you look so tired?" Arya asked as Eragon approached.

"I was healing Katrina for the impatient Roran." Eragon replied mounting Saphira, who had already been saddled up by Arya. "It took quite a lot of energy. Anyway, lets go I want to fly."

Every one climbed on and all three dragons took off into the morning sky.

**WOW long chapter, nearly 4 pages. Anyway…**

**I NEED A NAME FOR XEN'S AND ELVA'S DRAGONS, PLEASE HELP ME. I DON'T CARE HOW STUPID THEY ARE, JUST PLEASE GIVE ME NAMES.**

**OK, as promised, I have posted all of my reviews to date. More may have come in without me knowing, but I'll get them in the next update. All of these have just been copied and pasted from my email into the document, no tampering.**

**AryaFan**—A great start!

**Mostodtroll—**Wow! That IS an awesome story!! Love the part with the egg!

**Mostodtroll—**Okay! Pretty good! Did you know that "Du" means "the" in the Ancient Language? So it's actually "Du Weldenvarden" instead. And...the last dragon egg that Galbatorix holds is green, it's going to be on the cover of the last book, Christopher Paolini said. Dieing is spelt dying. Few minor mistakes but still good!

**Peircexliger**—You seemed to have rushed it a little, but it is great otherwise. Update soon!

**SpiceChaiPrincessOfDoom—**That was nice! I am slightly disdainful of Eragon but more of Ayra so it was very pleasant for her to basically beg Eragon for his love instead of the other way around. YAY! update soon!

**tigster5**This is really good so far! Original names aren't exactly my thing so I can't help you there, and with Elva's training, it all just depends on how you're going to write it out. Anyway, keep it up and update soon!

-Tig


	11. Chapter 11

**I'm soooo soooo sorry for not updating for a while…I've been busy with schoolwork. I'm just going to skip over Elva's training in the desert. I don't feel like rewriting Eragon with three riders. Basically, this chapter is just a reflection of the past month and a half in the desert and now the riders are a half-day journey from Ellesmíra. I've had bad writer's block recently because of school, which is _EVILLLL…and Tourture. _My history teacher likes to use mild corporal punishment. i.e. tapping people with a block of wood, nothing that would get him fired. Most of the time we are all cheering him on and yelling "BEAT 'EM…BEAT 'EM…" **

…

**You get the idea of the best part of my school day. **

**Oh, I almost forgot. Lifskul literally means 'life arrow' in the ancient language.**

**READ AND REVIEW**

**I'm a broken record.**

**Ok to the Story**

Disclaimer:

I don't own anything but the plot and the characters and places that don't appear in Eragon and Eldest.

Chapter 11:

_Boy, what a month it has been Alíshrä. We've basically crossed the larges landmass known to us. I can't believe what we have learned. I still hate swords no matter what. Bows are way better. Magic is awesome, I feel alive when I am using it, it's like you are right there with me helping me along with it. _Elva was just babbling on to Alíshrä (Elva's dragon's name) about what had happened in the past month (obviously). Alíshrä had gotten bored of how her rider could just go on talking about nothing. _And we are nearly to Ellesmíra! I can't wait!!!_

_Patience young one, you are still rushing into everything. _Alíshrä said, _You cannot live your life rushing, you must slow down and learn patience. _

_I know patience. Eragon spent at least 2 weeks just making me sit on Saphira and not talk, move excessively, and well, be me! I hate it. It's much better just to live like there is no tomorrow. _Elva complained.

_If you keep up your reckless ways, there will be no tomorrow. _Alíshrä warned.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_They've been talking all evening. Doesn't Alíshrä hate it; she's just a shy dragon. Probably the worst match in the history..._

_Don't remind me Eragon. _Arya's voice cut through his conversation with Saphira._ You know that they were meant to be. The magic around Alíshrä's egg would have prevented a mismatch hatching._

_I know…It seems so different from all previous rider-dragon relationships that I have read about. _Eragon responded. _We need to get some sleep. We got a long trip ahead of us tomorrow. I want to get to Ellesmíra as fast as we can because there is no way I can teach her anything more than more words in the Ancient Language. I'll need Oromis's scrolls to help me teach._

_Fine. _Ayra's voice was soft with a hard edge under it. She turned over and closed her eyes.

"Elva, we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow. We need to press on and reach Ellesmíra as fast as we can." Eragon said aloud to Elva to break her from her trance.

"Ok, I'll turn in now." She settled against Alíshrä's side and closed her eyes.

Eragon couldn't sleep. It had been an hour since the sun had set. Something wasn't right. We felt like he was being watched with calculating eyes. He tried to shake the feeling away, but it came back stronger a moment later. Eragon looked down at his Gedwëy insigna. His heart stopped. It was glowing. In the night, the glow was bright. Magic…Some how Eragon had been holding Magic in his mind without even reaching for it. Something defiantly didn't feel right. Eragon opened his mind and felt a conscious about 50 feet behind him. It was barred. This person had to either be a magician or someone well trained like Murtagh because the barrier was strong. Eragon woke Arya with a few words of the ancient language and informed her of the spy. With inhuman speed they moved as one and ran, pinned and captured the spy. After Ayra cast a werelight, could Eragon see that the spy was a human, girl, maybe no older that 17. There was fear in her eye as she saw that her captors were, that is to her judgment, elves.

"Who are you?" Arya asked in a calm soothing voice. "We won't hurt you. We only want to know a few things about you."

"I don't have a name." Her face fell and tears started to form in her eyes. "I was a slave in Galbatorix's Palace until the night he raped me…I had accidentally discovered that I had magic and …and…when I couldn't cast one spell that he thought was simple, he went berserk. I'm three months pregnant with _his_ child." She spat out the word as if it was dirt on her tongue. Tears now were starting roll down her face. "I know you don't think it's true, but it is." She burst out crying into Arya's arms.

"If you let us into your mind, we will be able to discover the truth." Arya soothingly said, "That is the only way we can discover if you are telling us the truth."

"Alright…" The girl replied in a whisper.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As Arya reached out and entered the girl's mind, she felt something different about the conscious. It wasn't as small as a human's but yet not as vast as an elf's. Arya was puzzled. Could this be a half elf? _No. There haven't been any half elves since the times of the riders._ As Arya sifted through the mind, she found that the girl had once lived in the spine. After her fifth birthday, Galbatorix came and took her and her mother away to his castle and became slaves. On her 15th birthday, she discovered that she could use magic, and spent time learning how to cast spells, speak the ancient language (learned from the librarian), and learned to bar her mind. She had spoken the truth about what had happened to her afterward. After being raped by Galbatorix, she fled the palace, and traveled to the ancient Du Weldenvarden, home of the elves, where she hoped to learn more about magic. She had spotted Arya's Eragon's and Elva's campfire, and thought that they might be elves who could to take her to one of their cities. As Arya pulled herself out of the girl's mind, she looked at Eragon and said, _She has spoken the truth…and she is more powerful than you were when I first met you. _

_That much power? _Eragon asked doubtfully.

_Maybe even more…she hasn't put herself up to testing how strong she is yet for fear of dying. _Arya replied.

_Let's bring her to the fire. She's probably cold. We need to have Saphira take Lifskul and Alíshrä away so that we don't scare the girl. _Eragon suggested.

_Agreed, but there is something strange about her. Her mind is more developed than even the most experienced human Rider of old. Yet, her mind is slightly less developed than an elf's. _Arya stated.

_Saphira can you take Lifskul and Alíshrä away from the fire for a bit? We want to bring a girl to the fire and I think that you three will scare the hell out of her. _Eragon asked.

_Ok, fine. _Eragon felt her get up through their mind connection. _Ok, We are out. Bring in this girl, I'm in the shadows about 50 feet to the north. Place her close to the fire so I can get a good look at her. _Saphira said.

_Will do. _Eragon replied.

_Alright Arya, Elva is alone at the fire, but Saphira is looking from the shadows. Let's bring her over._

_Ok. _Arya replied.

"Ok, we are going to bring you to our fire. You look cold. We have some food that you can have if you are hungry." Eragon said to the girl. "Oh and one last thing. From your memories, I found out want your name is. Would you like to know?"

"Yes please." The girl said in a hushed voice. She was afraid of them

"Your name is Sàlmir (sall-meer)" Eragon said in a gentle tone.

"It seems familiar. Like a half forgotten memory." Sàlmir trailed off and then stood and walked over to the fire followed by Eragon and Arya. "Who's this? Why is a human child with a pair of elves?" she asked after seeing Elva.

"This is our friend." Arya said shortly not explaining any further.

"Oh." Sàlmir replied.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Eragon stared into the fire for the next hour while everyone else slept. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was beginning to change him. Something seemed to have tugged Arya closer to him, yet he had resisted. Why had she rejected him, and now accept him.

_It's because you are both riders now, obviously… _Saphira said without even opening her eyes.

_I guess so. I like her, but I can't let that come in between toppling Galbatorix._ Eragon said to Saphira as heclosed his eyes and leaned up against her belly.

_Eragon, your love for her can give you power beyond your wildest dreams. _Elva's voice rang through his head.

_Elva! How long have you been listening in on us? _Spahira asked in surprise.

_And what is this power that you speak of? _Eragon asked confused at what she might know.

_The change that you are just beginning to feel is due to your love. It gives you power. All emotions can do that, but your strongest is love followed by anger. _Elva responded. _How to control it; you'll have to find that out yourself._

_Alright. Thank you for helping me Elva._ Eragon said.

_Anything that will bring you two together is good. You are meant to be._ Elva said in the back of his mind, as Eragon fell asleep at last.

**WOW…**

**Longest chapter yet!**

**OK…I still need names for Xen's dragon, so if you have any suggestions let me know… I want to bring in so many OCs, but I don't want to have a novel on my hands. AHHHHHH…**

**Anyway,**

**Please, Please, Please, review**


	12. Chapter 12

**OK YAY!!!!!**

**Xen's dragon has a name now, thanks to londonxlove. Not an exast name from the review, but similar…can u guess which one it's closest to?**

**Now…when shall I have him appear next…**

**OK People. Anyone want a full love story of lots of action?**

**Here's the latest review. Sorry I didn't get it on the last chappie.**

**Londonxlove**—ok...i'm thinking of names for the dragons, so I'm going to think of names off the top of my head that mean absolutely nothing.

VordiÃ¡n

Karthor

RÃ¡olek

MondÃºr

ArzvÃ³r

GÃ¡lene

**READ AND REVIEW**

**ALL REVIEWERS ARE AWSOME!!!!**

Disclaimer:

I don't own anything but the plot and the characters and places that don't appear in Eragon and Eldest.

Chapter 12:

SPLASH!!!!

Eragon bolted upright. His entire body was soaked and he was freezing. He glared daggers at Arya who stood above him with a bucket.

"Finally!!! I thought you would never wake up!" Arya exclaimed.

"Is it time to go?" Eragon asked sitting up in a half inch deep puddle blinking to get the sleep out of his eyes.

"YES! It was—two hours ago! I've been trying to wake you up for over an hour." Arya almost yelled at him.

"Well don't blame me if I couldn't sleep last night!" Eragon said scrambling to evade the bucket Arya swung at him. He smiled. She was annoyed. It was funny to see her annoyed after a year of Miss. Face-as-straight-as-a-sword.

"Don't smile! Get going!" Arya managed to connect the bucket with Eragon's rear end, "We don't have all day."

"I'm up…I'm up…" Eragon said massaging his rear. He packed, ate, and was able to load everyone but Sàlmir onto Saphira. He hadn't shown Saphira yet, and he didn't want the others (dragons) there when he did. It would be too much, too fast. He noticed Sàlmir staring at him in a funny way.

"May I ask a question?" She asked. Arya and Eragon both turned to face her.

"Sure, what is it." Eragon replied.

"Forgive me, I am not familiar with elfish customs, are you two married?" She asked looking at a pair of stunned elfish faces.

"No, we aren't. Elves don't practice marriage, Elves take mates, and we aren't mates either. Why did you ask?" Arya answered.

"Because the way you two were talking to each other a minute ago, it seemed like you were a couple." Sàlmir answered.

"Oh, we do?" Eragon asked.

"Yes, the nobles and their wifes sound like that all the time in Galbatorix's castle." Sàlmir replied.

The lapsed into silence and Eragon lead Sàlmir and Arya into the forest a ways.

"Sàlmir, what you are about to see is going to scare you to death. That's the truth. However, you shouldn't be afraid of her." Eragon said. _Saphira, will you come out?_ There was movement in the foliage and Saphira stepped out into view. Sàlmir just gapped and then asked,

"Who is her rider? What is her name?"

"I'm her rider. Her name is Saphira. I'm not sure that we will be able to all fit on her, though." Eragon responded, and then frowned. Sàlmir was blocking her mind. "Unblock your mind. Saphira communicates telepathically, through your mind, so when you have your defenses up, she can't talk to you."

"Oh, sorry. I should have remembered that from my reading." Sàlmir apologized.

"What reading is this?" Arya asked

"When Galbatorix found out that I was a magician, he had me read lots of books to improve my knowledge of the ancient language, history of the riders, and all about the elves customs and about the dragons." Sàlmir responded.

"That's a lot of knowledge that he has stored away in his library." Eragon remarked.

"Yah. I wish I could still read some of those books. I miss sitting in the library and looking out the window, staring at the sky. It was really beautiful in there." Sàlmir said in a passive voice, her eyes staring off at nothing in particular.

"We have to get going. It will be slow going. Elva, Maybe you and Sàlmir can ride Saphira while Eragon and I run for a while." Arya suggested.

"Alright. Saphira, bend down, will you?" Elva said smiling and bounding over to Saphira. Sàlmir hesitated. "Oh, don't worry, she's quite friendly unless you upset her, and she gets upset when people dilly-dally." That made Sàlmir scurry over to Saphira and start to climb up to the saddle. Saphira's growl helped speed up that process. She sat behind Elva and closed her eyes.

"Don't make me watch this. I'm going to regret this. I don't like the time I had to spend with Galbatorix flying on Shuikian." Sàlmir said.

"You've flown before? That's something most people don't get to do." Elva said as they took off. Saphira's wings caused the wind to flatten everything under her except Eragon and Arya. Once Saphira was several hundred feet ahead of them, did Eragon turn to Arya.

"Well, let's get going. It's going to be a long day running." Eragon said, but found Arya right next to him. She had an arm around his waist. "Arya?"

"Yes?" Her head was leaning against his shoulder. "What is it?"

"Can this please wait for when we are back in Ellesmíra?" Eragon asked.

"Hmmm…Ok…but the night we get there, we are spending some time together." She stepped back and started down the trail towards Ellesmíra. "Come on! We can make it there in an hour if we hurry."

An hour later, they were at the entrance of Ellesmíra With the others. Lifskul and Alíshrä were waiting in the brush behind everyone else. Arya had asked them to wait there until the night, when they would fly into Ellesmíra and come to a dinner that Arya would ask her mother to hold. They didn't like the idea of waiting for so long, so Arya suggested that they go off and practice their hunting skills in the forest. (Saphira had already told them not to bring their kills back to the city.) As they walked through the city, in between the trees and tree homes, the elves stopped and watched Saphira walk by. As they came to the Queen's court, The queen herself came out trailed by the elf lords and ladies.

"Welcome back to Ellesmíra Eragon Shadeslayer and Arya my daughter." Sàlmir shot Arya and Eragon a glare that could have killed any pure born human. "Who are these other two humans, and why have you brought them here?" The Queen motioned for Eragon to answer.

"Your highness, this is Elva." He stood behind Elva and placed his hands on her shoulder. "Oromis may have told you about her." He walked over to Sàlmir and gestured to her. "This is Sàlmir, a former slave from Galbatorix's castle, magician partially trained by Galbatorix himself, and three months pregnant with his child." Sàlmir flinched at this latter part, but quickly regained her composure.

"Oromis never told me of this Elva…And I take it you thought that…Sàlmir could tell us what galbatorix taught her, and see if we can find what the secret to his power is, and raise his child to be a weapon against him?" The Queen asked.

"Yup. That's pretty mush the whole lot of it." Eragon replied.

"I assume that you and Arya have something to tell all of us at a dinner that you will want me to hold for all the elves?" The Queen asked Eragon, nailing his next question on the spot.

"Yes mother. But it is something that should be kept fairly quiet." Arya interjected.

"Alright…I'm sure you are all wondering why I know what it is you are thinking right?" She asked them again.

"I think that you have had a premonition or something like that." Eragon said, "Because you cannot scry the future."

"Bingo." She replied to Eragon. "Will sunset be late enough?"

"Sunset sounds fine Mom." Arya

**Alright, alright, alright.**

**I know that ended really lamely, but I think I just drank all of my sugary soda, and have nothing left to stimulate my brain…**

**Anyway…**

**Xen's dragon is making an amazing entrance into this fanfic… (the way I'm writing it, he seems sooooo cool for a dragon.) **

**Hmmm… a tap dansing dragon…**

**Oops, off topic scratch that—anyway,**

**READ AND REVIEW **

**NOW! STAT! PRONTO!**


	13. Chapter 13

**OK…**

**Next chappie.**

**Not much to say up here, so I'll cut to the chase. One reviewer noticed that in previous chapters Arya's dragon's name was Slithmir. My mistake. I thought that I fixed it. I will try to get it fixed by chapter 14. Anyway. It is supposed to be Lifskul.**

**Personally I really like this chapter. **

**READ AND REVIEW **

**ALL REVIEWERS ARE AWSOME!!!!**

Disclaimer:

I don't own anything but the plot and the characters and places that don't appear in Eragon and Eldest.

Chapter 13:

Every single elf in Ellesmíra was present. Diner was being served and everyone was having a good time, but they were all wondering what it was that was to be announced.

"Can I have everyone's attention for a moment?" Eragon stood up at the head of the hall. "I'm sure all of you are wondering why we are having this dinner. In the last month or so, I have been training two new riders in the desert." The crowd started to murmur. Even Oromis looked surprised at this announcement. "On a mission to Helgrind to save a prisoner there, I found a green dragon egg. I suspect that Galbatorix thought that it would be safe there with the Ra'zac. The mountain caved in due to a magical protection surrounding the egg, but everyone was able to escape unharmed. Earlier that week, a white dragon egg was magically transported into the Varden's camp, and both eggs have hatched."

"Who are these new riders Shadeslayer?" The Queen asked.

Eragon zoned out for a moment. _Lifskul, you and Alíshrä can come in now, stay close by Arya and Elva._

_Alright. _

"Arya, would you and Elva come up here please?" Eragon asked. Just as they reached him, Lifskul and Alíshrä swooped in and landed next to their riders. "I present to you, the next riders of the new generation."

Everyone burst in to applause and The Queen had a single tear running down her cheek looking at her daughter. "How wonderful this news is. Let us celebrate this some more!" She cried. Everyone began to dig into the food with gusto. Eragon, Arya, and Elva joined Oromis, and waited for him to say something.

"Eragon?" he asked

"Yes master? What is it?" Eragon answered.

"Have them all come over to me tomorrow morning at the usual time." Oromis stated quickly, and then stood up. "I must get going if I am to get all the scrools ready that you will need to teach them with."

"Thank you master." Eragon replied. Once Oromis had left, Eragon turned to Elva and Arya. "I want you to meet me at the sparring grounds an hour past sunrise."

"Alright. I'll see you then. Can you show me to my room Eragon?" Elva asked.

"Certianly. I think that the Elves have finished adding on to the tree house I had. It should have enough space for all three of us." Eragon responded. "Arya are you done?"

"Yes. Let's go." She answered.

All three riders left and rode Saphira back to the tree house. Elva ran off to explore the house. There were three new rooms added on, each with their own place fore a dragon to sleep outside of them. Where Eragon had slept before, there were a few chairs, and a large fireplace. Eragon explored the room closest to him and found that it had its own washbasin. All the rooms had their own washing room, fireplace, and chair. As Eragon went upstairs, he saw that the study had been expanded, and that a library had been added. It was similar to Oromis's and it held many similar scrolls. He smiled. His old tree house had just been transformed into a first rate condo. It was now the Rider's tree. Eragon might have resented having to share his living quarters with other people (In this statement, elves count as people), but not dragons. Eragon walked downstairs, and found Arya standing in the room next to him, and Elva in the last room.

"Eragon? Can we distinguish which room will be ours?" Elva asked. "Can't we just carve our names next to the doors?"

"I don't see why we cannot." Eragon said, "Arya will the elves mind it?"

"I don't think so." She replied, "If we do something, they are likely to respect it and not complain."

"Ok." Eragon closed his eyes and reached out with his mind.He felt the tree's conscience surrounding him. He spoke several words in the ancient language, and the tree twisted Eragon's, Arya's and Elva's names into the wall next to their rooms in two languages. Normal human runes, and in the elfish Poetic Script. When he opened his eyes, he saw his handy work. He saw Arya giving him an odd look.

"I never knew that you could shape plants." She said.

"Oromis taught me." Eragon responded.

"Is Oromis the older Rider?" Elva asked. It struck Eragon that he had forgotten to mention that to Elva.

"Yes. He is." He replied. "Elva, it's getting late, and we all have to be up early." He continued, "We all need to get to bed soon or we will be tired in the morning." He watched Elva turn into her room, close the door, and he heard her get into bed. He did the same thing, but before he turned out the lamp, Arya came in. "You know that it might be a great deal less embarrassing if you knocked next time." He said noting that Arya was only wearing a nightshirt. He himself only had on a soft elfish tunic that he liked to sleep in.

"In the future, there probably won't be any knocking." Arya said coming closer to Eragon and sat down in a chair opposite him. "Eragon, why do you resist your heart?"

"What do you mean?" He asked uncertain of what she ment.

"You love me Eragon. You told me before in the Ancient Language." She looked him straight in the eye. "Why then do you resist me? I love you as well." Eragon couldn't believe his ears.

"Then why did you push me away before the Burning plains?" He asked mystified at where the love had come from. "You could have told me and we could have waited until after Galbatorix was dead."

"Eragon, we couldn't be together before. You were a rider. Your training was more important than my heart. Without you, the Varden would have lost the battle. Your training saved thousands of lives. I couldn't let you chase after me, and let your training slack." Arya said taking his hand in hers. Tears were in her eyes. "You don't know how much it hurt."

"I'm sorry Arya." He replied. He wrapped his hands around hers. "We are both riders now and we can be together. Elva told me that love can give both of us power beyond what we have now." Eragon got up and knelt in front of Arya, took her hand, and looked her in the eye. "Arya, can you please forgive me for causing you that pain? Can we be together?"

"Yes. I forgive you Eragon. We can be together." She smiled at him and stood up pulling him up as well. She wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed him on the lips.

Eragon was stunned. He put his arms around her and kissed her back. When she pulled back, She was smiling.

"We need to get to bed." She kissed him quickly and then left and entered her room. Eragon set his timepiece that Oromis gave him, and got into bed. He couldn't sleep though. His thoughts were still on Arya. She had smelled the same as when he first got near her. The crushed pinecone smell made him relax and before he could move, he was asleep.

Ok, for all you engineers reading this chapter, I'm assuming that all the rooms are adequately supported, and that the tree can withstand the weight.

**OK.**

**What do you think of that chapter?**

**I sort of liked it, even though it was a little mushy there. I hate really mushy love scenes, but I forced to make myself do this one. **

**Just on a side note, Saphira, and Lifskul were fast asleep, so they weren't there to keep their riders from doing too much. This chapter is about the most intense love that I want to even think about writing, so don't get worried. **

**Anyway,**

**Next chapter is going to be one heck of a chapter action wise. FIGHT!! FIGHT!! FIGHT!!**

**READ AND REVIEW!!!!!!!!**

**All the loyal fanfic readers who have reviewed, I salute to you!**


	14. Chapter 14

**OK, the Chapter you've all been waiting for.**

**I don't have mush to here, so I'll just skip on ahead to the Chapter.**

**OH!!! I fixed the Slíthmír/Lifskul problem in chapter three.**

**READ AND REVIEW **

**ALL REVIEWERS ARE AWSOME!!!!**

**I salute to them all.**

**LIGHTS!**

**CAMMERA!**

**ACTION!!!**

Disclaimer:

I don't own anything but the plot and the characters and places that don't appear in Eragon and Eldest.

Chapter 14:

Eragon woke up to the timepiece buzzing in his ear. He sat up, rubbed his eyes, and sat thinking about Arya. He got dressed and when into the common area. Arya was already there dressed. She smiled when she saw him and he sat down next to her. He put an arm around her. "Has Elva woken up yet?" he asked.

"Nope. I'll go wake her up." Arya got up and went over to Elva's door and knocked. "Come on Elva, It's time to wake up!"

"Is it time already?" Elva complained from inside the closed door. A moment later, she was standing half asleep and dressed outside of her door. "Is there any food? I'm starved!" She asked.

"Sure, come and sit down. The elves bring food early in the morning. I don't know when, so don't ask." Eragon replied.

"As soon as we're all done, we should head over to the sparing field and continue to train there." Arya suggested.

"Awww…do we have to?" Elva asked.

"Yes. It's important for you to get better with the sword and bow. Arya and myself even need to practice so we don't get out of shape." Eragon replied.

"Eragon's right. We should start with you first for about 45 minutes, and then Eragon and I can have a quick 15 minute duel." Arya said. "That way, you can progress at a faster rate than before."

As everyone finished up, Saphira, Lifskul, and Alíshrä came back from their morning hunt. They all flew over to the sparring field and started to train Elva. Eragon and Arya took turns demonstrating, and teaching the moves that they were teaching her. In 45 minutes, they had covered more material than Eragon had in two nights with Brom.

"Arya, would you like to duel me now?" he asked, "It's been a while since we dueled."

"Sure." Arya blocked her sword and settled into a fighting stance. For the next 15 minutes, Eragon and Arya were no more than a slow blur of blade and body to the elves who stood in a ring around the combatants. Everyone was amazed at the skill that the two riders showed in this mini show down. It ended as Eragon managed to twist Arya's sword out of her hand and flicked his sword to her neck. Both riders stood looking at eachother for a minute and then got on to Saphira with Elva without a word. Arya looked somewhat hurt after their duel.

_Arya, is something wrong? _Eragon asked concerned.

_You are the first person in over three decades to beat me. _She replied. _I have only lost to the most experienced swordsmen and women in the past half century. You are the first human, I think, to have ever beaten an elf in all out combat. _She was silent for a while and then relaxed. She was sitting right behind Eragon on Saphira, so she laid her head on one of his shoulder blades. She put her arms around him and left them there until they arrived at Oromis's hut. Glaedr was waiting outside for them. As Saphira landed, Glaedr looked up and bent over Elva

_You have a dangerous future young one. _He said to her but let all hear. _You will cause pain to friend and foe alike, curse or no curse. This is your destiny. You cannot escape it. _

_What does this mean master? _Elva asked.

_Terrible things will result because of you actions, but good will always follow. _Glaedr replied blinking his massive eyes.

Eragon, Arya, and Elva stepped into Oromis's hut. "Good, you're on time." Oromis exclaimed as he saw them. "Eragon, take Elva to the glade. Saphira, take Alíshrä and teach her about wind, weather, and the dynamics of flight. If you already did that, then move on to all aerial maneuvers that you know." Saphira and Eragon promptly left to do as Oromis bid them, leaving Arya alone with Lifskul.

Oromis quizzed Arya on all that Eragon had taught her in order to see what still needed to be taught. As Arya reviled, Eragon had taught her so much, it seemed like he was teaching her full time. However, Arya said that Eragon spent almost all day teaching Elva. Oromis realized that Eragon must have found a way to teach two subjects, simultaneously, without missing anything. Eragon's mind had been developing faster than Oromis thought.

_We taught him well._ Glaedr said after he learned this.

_That we did. This confirms my suspicions about him. _Oromis replied.

_Yes it does. His mind has grown faster than Morzan's. _Glaedr added. _Soon he shall be more powerful than him._

_Indeed. _Oromis replied. _We should continue to teach him so these powers can develop. _"Arya, please read these scrolls by the end of the week. They contain the knowledge that you still need about the riders."

Arya accepted the scrolls that Oromis offered her and went outside. She entered the forest and sat in a clearing. She opened the first scroll and began to read.

As Eragon entered Oromis's hut, Glaedr was just taking off with Lifskul to go flying. "Master, I left Elva in the glade. She should be there for another hour or so."

"Good, that gives us enough time." Oromis said clapping his hands together. "Please, take a seat. We have a lot to talk about." He pointed to a chair, which Eragon took.

"What is there to talk about master?" Eragon asked confused.

"Two things: Morzan, and the near future." Oromis responded. "I already know that you found out about him being your father. Not exactly the best way to find out about it, but there is nothing we can do to change that."

"I'm not angry about it master." Eragon stretched for words, "I don't mind it either. It is, in a way, a good thing."

"What do you mean?" Oromis asked.

"Well, I have inherited his powers for one thing—"

"How did you find out about his powers?" Oromis demanded, "No one but Glaedr and I knew about it."

"I read your notes from when you were teaching him. I know that I have developed the same multi-level conscious, Arya's training shows just that." Eragon answered in a calm voice.

"How did you find those notes?" Oromis demanded further. "Only Glaedr and I know about their existence."

"While you were training and flying with Saphira, I was left here with Glaedr." Eragon admitted, "I used my powers to pay attention to Glaedr's instruction, and also searched your house, found them, and read them."

"How did you know where to look?" Oromis asked.

"When I was meditating in the glade, I used another of my powers and expanded my range so that I could even see what you were thinking and doing." Eragon told him, "I can enter anyone's mind without him or her knowing it. I practiced on some of the elves in Ellesmíra. You don't want to know what some elves do in private." Eragon continued, "I watched you, and learned where the notes were kept."

"You've advanced beyond your father." Oromis said, "Not even he could enter peoples minds without their notice. To the best of my knowledge, you and your father are the only two riders in history to have these powers."

"I think that Elva may have some of these powers as well. I think that my curse also infused part of my power in her." Eragon added.

"Hmmm…Over the next few weeks, I want you to hone your powers." Oromis instructed. "You should also test Elva to see if she has these powers as well."

"As you wish master." Eragon said getting up and leaving the hut to check up on Elva.

_There goes the rider with the potential to become the most powerful being in this land._ Oromis said to himself.

**OK!!!!!!**

**Done with this chapter!!!**

**Anyone hate this story, or just dislike a part? TELL ME!!! I want to know if there is something that you think I can do better on. This is my first fanfic, so I want to be able to write better ones based off of this one. **

**OK, Xen is finally coming. The long awaited shadow,**


	15. Chapter 15

**Ok, in this chapter I am going to try to explain Xen's MYSTERIOUS** **past…lol )**

**Please bear with me on this part. I'm getting part of my ideas from other books, and fanfics. Basically, it's my own blend of other work. Harry Potter and Garth Nix's trilogy (not the Subtle Knife one…another one…I don't know the name of it, Absorron or something like that)**

**READ AND REVIEW **

**ALL REVIEWERS ARE AWSOME!!!!**

**I salute to them all.**

**LIGHTS!**

**CAMMERA!**

**ACTION!!!**

Disclaimer:

I don't own anything but the plot and the characters and places that don't appear in Eragon and Eldest.

Chapter 15:

Yanon stood at the edge of their camp. It had been a long month of searching for the elfish cities. So far none had been spotted. The Du Weldenvarden seemed to stretch on forever in every direction. The air was chilly seeing as it was late fall. Snow was due in any day now. If they didn't find any cities within a day or two, they would have to turn back and return to their home. Yanon was looking at the sunset as he always did. Then, he noticed something separate from the horizon. It floated upwards, spiraling.

"Àshrá, Something is over there by the sun, I can't see what it is." Yanon said jumping down from the rock that he stood on.

"Let me see where is it?" Àshrá demanded. Yanon pointed it out and then saw the unmistakeable wings of a dragon flying towards them.

"It's a dragon…" he trailed off as he saw the violet glint of the dragon's scales.

The dragon landed and an elf jumped off it's back. Landing with alien grace, the elf walked over to the two riders who tensed. "Greetings. My name is Xen, rider of Vordéth." He was dressed in black; even his eyes were jet black.

"Greetings, My name is Yanon rider of Zammíren." Yanon replied

"I am Àshrá, rider of Saelí." Àshrá added.

"Hmmm…I suppose that you are looking for Ellesmíra?" Xen asked.

"Yes. Do you know how to get there?" Yanon asked him.

"Of course I do! I live there." Xen replied, "I can take you there if you like."

"If it wouldn't be a bother to you…We would really appreciate that." Àshrá said.

"Of course. Now tell me about yourselves. Why are you in the Du Weldenvarden?" Xen asked as he sat down next to their fire, and was joined by them a moment later.

"We fled from Galbatorix when he was killing all of the riders." Yanon answered, "Did you escape as well? Vordéth is so large, he must be three times as old as

Zammíren and Saelí." Àshrá asked.

"Well, yes and no." Xen replied. "I am partially dead." He paused as he saw the shock cross Àshrá's, Saelí's, Yanon's, and Zammíren's faces. "I was killed in part by my sister. She thought that I was in league with Galbatorix because I use a darker magic than all of the old riders, and the elves. I am only alive because I shielded part of my soul in the beings that I love, Vordéth has the largest piece. She is only alive because I severed our connection before I 'died.' I am using the parts of my soul to rebuild it, and I am making good progress on it, another week or so and I'll be 100 healthy and alive."

_Is this true? _Zammíren asked Vordéth.

_Everything that Xen has said is true. _Vordéth replied in the ancient language.

"Pardon me of asking, but how old are you?" Àshrá asked.

"I'm about 350 years old…" Xen answered, "But Vordéth is about 330 years old. We bonded when I was 20."

"Is your sister still alive? Did she escape the fall as well?" Yanon asked.

"Yes. She was born a year or two after Galbatorix seized power, and she 'killed' me when she was about 30. It has taken me over 70 years to regain all of this power." Xen replied, "As soon as I am 100, I'll take my revenge on her."

_You mean that you will kill her? _Saelí asked outraged at the thought.

"No." Xen nearly shouted back, "I love her. I just want her to understand what I went through. That's all. I could never hurt her. It hurt me so much to fight her when she attacked me." For the first time in over 50 years, Xen nearly cried. It took him all of his concentration to fight back the tears that formed in his eyes.

_I'm sorry… _Saelí apologized.

"It's ok, it feels better to have told someone about what has happened to me." Xen replied. He glanced at the setting sun and continued saying: "It's getting late. We have a long week ahead of us to get to Ellesmíra. We should get some rest." He stood up and walked to the edge of the fire light and lay down.

_I think we can trust him… _Zammíren started, _He was talking to us in the Ancient Language so he couldn't have been lying…_

_It would be impossible even for an elf to do so. _Àshrá stated. _My parents told me so when they were teaching it to me._

_We should get some sleep like Xen suggested. I think that there is no reason for him to harm us, so we are safe. _Saelí finalized again.

With that they lay down and slept peacefully until morning when Xen woke them all up with a yell. As Yanon and Àshrá looked up, they saw nothing. When they opened their minds, they felt nothing unusual. Yet Xen kept yelling off into the forest. His arm was coated with blood and his sword was as well. Nothing lay dead at his feet and there was no trail of blood leading away from him.

"What happened?" Yanon demanded.

"Something dove down at me several times and cut my arm open as you can see…They're spying on me…I can feel them…the fools." His hosts looked utterly perplexed as he said this and watched in a growing horror as Xan raised his had, glowing brighty, and started to speak in the ancient language. It was an incomprehensible sentence, but Xen grinned as he and everyone with him felt the death of several birds nearby. "There…all done. The elves have had a habit of spying on me. I think it is the work of my sister."

"They use birds to spy on you?" Àshrá asked skeptically.

"Sure. They usually like to use ravens, but the one that got me was a falcon." Xen answered. "That's the first time they have caught me unaware of their presence."

_How long have they been doing this? _Zammíren asked.

"About five years now," Xen replied. "Ever since I stumbled upon my sister in the forest. They have been replacing them about twice a month now."

_We should get going…If we stay here too long, bad things might happen. _Saelí urged.

"What bad things are you talking about?" Yanon asked.

_I feel like we are being watched…the elves may be scrying us, but I'm not sure. _Saelí answered.

That was all the explanation that Xen needed. He quickly returned the forest to its original state, leaving no traces of their presence behind. It took them most of the day, but by the time they landed, Xen guessed that they had covered about half of the distance to Ellesmíra. After a tense night, they all continued to fly. Around sunset, the saw Ellesmíra, and started to descend, slowly circling on their tired wings.

**OK, I ment for this to be a mini cliff hanger…**

**If it isn't for you, then I just cannot write.**

**Anyway, I hope to get another three chapters in by the end of this week because it is school vacation!!!!!!(at last.) I had a killer Macbeth test, and I probably failed it…WAAAAAAAA!!!!**

**sniff**

**OK, if you need a further explanation of Xen's past, TELL ME!!!! I need to know, because I want everyone to understand him well before you go judging him. It will also help you understand the rest of the story**

**PLEASE:**

**Read and review**

**All your comments and questions will be answered in either a chapter or via other means (through **


	16. Chapter 16

**OK, as of right now, people are asking if I will ever bring back the seemingly random characters that I have introduced so far. **

**Answer:I will. I am planning on bringing in like ten or more OCs and they all have roles to play in the outcome of the story. All of my characters will be important. **

**READ AND REVIEW **

**ALL REVIEWERS ARE AWSOME!!!!**

**I salute to them all.**

**LIGHTS!**

**CAMMERA!**

**ACTION!!!**

Disclaimer:

I don't own anything but the plot and the characters and places that don't appear in Eragon and Eldest.

Chapter 16:

Eragon stared at Arya. Ever since she told him that she loved him, he couldn't get her out of his head. Oromis didn't know many things. One of them was that Eragon's mind could operate on three levels now, so, he could teach two, and daydream about Arya with the last one. The day had gone by fairly uneventfully and Eragon was enjoying the comforts of the newly expanded tree house. Arya was sitting opposite the table from him, reading the scrolls that Oromis had given her to read. Elva was off flying with Alíshrä. Alíshrä was now big enough for Elva, the small girl who she was, for a long time. That would come in handy because Saphira was getting a little cramped with three riders. Now he could enjoy that time with Arya…alone. Arya put away the scrolls and came and sat down next to Eragon on the sofa he was sitting on. She wrapped an arm around his shoulder and placed her head on Eragon's other, closer, shoulder.

"Eragon, do you think that we should tell my Mother about wanting to be together?" Arya asked after a few minutes of warm silence.

"If you think that it would be wise…she has a right to know." Eragon responded.

"Mmm…Yes she does. Lets go tell her now." Arya replied.

In the next five minutes, Eragon and Arya got ready to go. Arya fixed up her hair. Why she did that, Eragon didn't know, and didn't really what to know. He on the other hand, changed into a slightly formal, yet casual shirt and pair of pants and met Arya in the commons (family room, or living room, whatever you really feel that it is called.) As they left, Eragon looked up at the sky and saw that the stars were begining to appear. Then, he saw something move. With his enhanced vision, he made out three dragons in the night sky, all bigger that Saphira. "Arya, run to the palace and warn your mom that there are three unidentified dragons flying above Ellesmíra." Arya looked up, and then took off, sprinting to her former home. Eragon stepped back inside, and grabbed his swords, or really, the swords that the Ra'zac stole form Arya's Great grandfather, known as Éragön.

Belting them on, Eragon called Saphira, mounted her bare neck, and took off. They arrived outside the palace to find elves pouring out of it. The three dragons landed not too far off, and their riders got off. Even in the dim light, Eragon could see that one of the riders was Xen…The one person that he knew struck fear into Arya's heart. The rider that was more powerful than he was. Yet, for some reason, Xen barly registered what was going on all around him. He was staring at Arya and Islanzadí (this is the way that it is spelled in Eldest).

"Xen what have you done…" Islanzadí asked, thinking that he had brought Galbatorix and Murtagh, because Saelí was red and Zammíren was a dark grey, but he looked black in the evening light.

"Mother, I would like you to meet Yanon and Zammíren, and Àshrá and Saelí." As Xen made the introductions, he spotted Eragon and smiled at him, Eragon only stared in reply, but made no aggressive or defensive moves. He left the two new riders to tell their story and went over to Eragon. "Hello Eragon Shadeslayer." He said in a friendly voice. "I'm sorry for that mistake last time. Arya usually slept in that room."

"It's ok, left something with me…I think that it more than covers the surprise that you gave me." Eragon replied.

"What is it that I gave you?" Xen asked. They started to walk away a little ways to have some privacy.

"This." Eragon flicked his wrist and a red aura flowed around it. It pulsed in the dull light, illuminating his face as well as Xen's. "Mind explaining this to me?"

"Sure. It's an Aura of furry. You aren't very mad right now, because if you were, I would be completely at your mercy. The aura gives more power than I have ever wielded with any other method." Xen paused for a moment. "You need to learn how to use it. It isn't something that you can learn overnight. It took me over a year to master it."

"Well, I have a knack for learning things. You'd be amazed at what I have learned in just a year with my master." Eragon responded.

"Really? Oromis must be doing a great job teaching you. You can expect that from him. He was a mentor to me when I was growing up." Xen startled Eragon with the news that Oromis had mentored him.

"I expect that you have graduated?" Xen asked.

"Actually, yes. Now I'm learning what only the older riders knew." Eragon told Xen. Xen didn't seem too surprised at this given Eragon's position. "Does Oromis know that you are alive?"

"Yes. I appeared to him about a year after Ayra…well...thought that she killed me." Xen answered him.

"Yes, Yes…I know the story. I'm guessing that you shielded your soul?" Eragon asked. He looked at the shock that spread across Xen's face. "I nailed it didn't I."

"Yes, you did…how did you know?" Xen asked completely perplexed.

"I read Oromis's scrolls of course." Eraogn answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Right, Oromis let you, a fairly untrained rider, read material that only the leader of the riders and a few others dared to read?" Xen asked skeptically.

"No, he never let me. While he was off flying with Saphira, I went into his hut and read them while Glaedr was teaching me." Eragon explained.

"How were you able to pay attention to Glaedr's teaching so he wouldn't know?" Xen asked, now starting to get interested.

"Have you ever heard about Morzan's powers?" Xen shook his head. "Oromis discovered that Morzan had many odd powers while training him. Among them was the ability to operate his mind on more than one conscious level. I've inherited those powers."

"You are Morzan's son?" Xen demanded.

"Yes. I am." Eragon jumped out of the way as Xen quickly drew his violet sword and lunged at Eragon. Eragon jumped to the side, let Xen rush past him, but didn't strike him. Xen, infuriated at this attacked Eragon again. Backpedaling, Eraogn evaded Xen's sword time and time again.

"Draw your sword and fight me!" Xen commanded.

"I think not. I have no quarrel with you." Eragon retorted, retreating back toward the crowd of Elves. They could help him stop Xen.

"COWARD!!!" Xen bellowed. That got the attention of the elves…several ran to restrain Xen, but he ran right past him, flipped over some others, and continued to chase Eragon. The aura of furry started to pulse around him. The elves now shrank away from him knowing all to well what it was.

Out of the blue, or actually the black seeing as it was now nearly night, Oromis dashed out and jabbed Xen in the temple with a wooden rod. The chase was over. Xen crumpled to the ground unconscious.

"Thank you master. I didn't want to fight him." Eragon said walking over to Oromis. Glaedr landed next to Oromis and quickly looked over the area to get a sense of what had happened.

"He shouldn't have done this. It's no fault of yours that he doesn't like Morzan." Oromis told Eragon.

"So I can see. What happened to make him like this?" Eragon asked.

_Yes master, I'm curious. Why does he want to kill Eragon?_ Saphira asked walking over.

"Come let us move away form this chaos. The elves will care for Xen until he wakes up." He mounted Glaedr and Eragon did the same on Spahira. They took off and for a while Oromis was silent. "Eragon, when Galbatorix gained the support of Morzan, Morzan killed Xen's mate. Heart broken, Xen vowed to make Morzan pay for the hurt he had caused him. Ever since Brom killed Morzan, Xen has been looking for any of Morzan's family so he could take revenge on them. He missed Selena though. She died before Xen could track her down." Oromis was silent again.

"I can now understand the way Xen acted, but how can he not see that I'm fighting the evil that Galbatorix, Morzan and the rest of the Forsworn brought on this land?" Eragon was confused. "I guess that I would do something similar if someone killed Arya, Saphira, or you master."

"Thank you for valuing Glaedr and myself so much." Oromis smiled.

"Everyone means so much to me." Eragon replied.

_Thank you little one._ Saphira said privately to Eragon.

_I love you too Saphira._ Eragon told her.

Eragon and Oromis parted in the sky, each returning to their dwellings. When Eragon arrived, Arya was telling Elva what had just happened.

"You have a brother?" Elva asked, "That's neat. Wait a minute…I thought that you said that you had no siblings. Explain!" Arya laughed.

"Yes Arya, please explain." Eragon said from behind her. She twirled around and hugged Eragon asking:

"Did you have a good flight with Saphira?"

_Yes we did…we also learned why Xen did what he did. _Saphira said from next to Lifskul on one of the little dragon platforms that were built into the tree house. Lifskul's growth had amazed everyone, including Oromis and Glaedr. They said that very few dragons grew as fast as he did. Now, he was only about a month-and-a-half old, but he was nearly half of Saphira's size. They were spending a lot of time together now outside of training…Eragon wondered what they were up to.

"You are avoiding the question." Eragon stated as they separated. Elva gave them a little stare.

"And this started when...?" She asked seeing them hug.

"Last night." Arya answered. "And I only told you that I had no siblings because I though he was dead. When he showed up at the Varden, I realized what he did."

"It's ok. It was the truth." Eragon placed an arm around her. "That is the important thing."

"I don't think that it would be a good idea for us to continue this Eragon." Arya told him. "I once had a lover who I enjoyed spending time with, but Xen scared him away, threatening to torture him, and then kill him if he continued to pursue me. He was killed in an 'accident' during a duel one day. Xen said that he never meant to hit his neck, and that he was really sorry for his 'mistake'."

Eragon was silent for a while but finally asked: "So you don't want Xen to notice us being together? Or do you want to separate?"

"Never separate. I want to be with you, but I don't want to put you in danger." Arya moved closer to him and placed her head on his shoulder for seemingly the millionth time. Eragon put an arm around her, and then his feet were yanked out from under him. Arya screamed, and Eragon turned to see a leering Xen towering over him with his drawn sword. Its violet color was all that Eragon saw.

**Uh, oh…**

**Another cliffhanger!!!!**

**I just hope that this one is a good one.**

**Over 2,100 words and five pages, I'm dead tired. I've skipped over homework to get this done, but I can do the homework later. What a procrastinator I am!!!**

**P**

**Anyway. Do you want Xen dead or is he too evil/good/cool to die. Tell me…I'm toying with the idea of planting him six feet under, or whatever elves do with their dead. CP really needs to explain how that's done.**

**But quite frankly, I like Xen. **

**Please review. I need your input to help me through this story. Only because of reviews, have I elongated this so far. I had first planned for one new rider, now there are two. First thought that his chapter would be chapter 6…that's a lot of extra writing…**

**Oh, and on a side note, I just thought of something very cool: Murtagh with two Uzis…oh ya, total pawnage!**

**READ AND REVIEW**

**I mean it.**

**Even if you don't have much to say, REVIEW.**


	17. Chapter 17

**OK people, I love the fact that this story is has over 5000 hits. That means that people like it…I'm glad. I put lots of effort into this so that all you readers have something to pass the time until the final book comes out, and we can do away with our guesses…Sry I just had to say that.**

**Based one the ****ONE**** review that I have received, I take it that people want me to kill off Xen. (IF YOU DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN, TELL ME!!!) I don't really want to do this, but hey, I want to run this like a democracy… but with me in absolute control…sorta defeats the purpose, but I like input.**

**Enough blabbing.**

**READ AND REVIEW **

**ALL REVIEWERS ARE AWSOME!!!!**

**I salute to them all.**

**LIGHTS…!**

**CAMMERA…!**

**ACTION!!!**

Disclaimer:

I don't own anything but the plot and the characters and places that don't appear in Eragon and Eldest.

Chapter 17:

"Whoa. Take it easy Xen. You don't know-" Eragon started.

"First I do know what is happening here, second, get away from my sister you creep. I won't let any traitor's son touch Arya." Xen raised his sword to deliver the final blow, but Eragon kicked upward catching Xen between the legs (Ouch!), and scrambled away from Xen, who was rolling on the floor, withering in agony, sword flung to the far side of the room. Eragon grabbed both blades from the pegs on the wall from which they hung, and walked over to Xen.

"Like before, I don't want to fight you." Eragon placed his hand on Xen's head and put him to sleep with a small spell. That night, Eragon didn't sleep at all. He had to concentrate on keeping Xen asleep so that he wouldn't cause any trouble.

In the morning, Arya was the first to come out of her room. She sat down next to Eragon and started to massage away the tension in his neck. Eragon took off his swords beforehand so Arya wouldn't get impaled on one (The Sheaths are sharp!).

"Thank you Arya." Eragon thanked her after she was done.

"You're welcome." She said as she kissed him on the lips. Eragon was paralyzed. The love of his life had just kissed him for the first time. Arya smiled at him and sat down on the sofa, leaving enough room for Eragon as he half walked, half tripped and stumbled his way over.

"Xen isn't going to like that." Eragon commented.

"He doesn't have to know." Arya replied firmly, making it clear to Eragon that they weren't going to tell Xen.

"You should go and talk to your mother about this. And also about us." Eragon said. "I can stay here and keep watch over Xen."

"Alright. But if you need anything, just call me." Arya said walking over to Lifskul, who was sleeping on the 'dragon pad', as Elva had nicknamed it, next to Saphira and Alíshrä. _Wake up sleepy head. Want to go flying?_ Arya woke him up and they took off flying toward the palace. Eragon watched them for a moment before returning to Xen. He had numerous scars form previous battles. Apparently Xen fought a lot. Out side, on the ground, Vordéth was sleeping at the bottom of the tree house, apparently in no hurry to be back with Xen, seeing as he wasn't at the 'dragon pad' demanding that Xen be brought out. Eragon grimaced. What was he going to do with him. Xen posed a problem. Eragon was sure that Xen would attack him as soon as see him. The fact that Xen found that he and Arya were together, gave him a nasty shock to the system. Eragon sat there for a long while.

_Saphira, how much longer do we have until we need to go to Oromis's hut?_ Eragon asked.

_We should have been there about half an hour ago…I don't think he will mind too much, though, I think he will understand. _Saphira replied as Arya and Lifskul landed.

"Mom's alright with us being together. All she wants is for Xen to be moved over to the palace so that he can have some sense talked into him." Arya swung down into Eragon's arms and kissed him quickly. "I'll go wake Elva."

"I'm up…" Elva said walking outside onto the pad. "Xen's beginning to move around in there. He is still out of action for the minute, though the sooner he gets to the palace, the better.

"Alright, I'll go strap him to Saphira. Arya, can you contact Vordéth and tell him we're taking Xen over?" Eragon asked, as he shouldered Xen onto his back.

"Sure thing." Arya said disappearing down the stairs to the base of the tree.

Ten minutes later, Xen was in the hands of the elves, being dragged off to his room to rest and recuperate. The three riders mounted their dragons, and took off to Oromis.

"I expect that you've had a busy morning and night." Oromis commented as he saw the bags under Eragon's eyes. "Eragon, go and get some sleep. Glaedr and I can manage for today."

"Yes Master." Eragon mumbled as he climbed slowly onto Saphira.

"Saphira, come back when Eragon is asleep. I think you rested especially well last night." Oromis commanded, and Saphira's eyes turned a darker shade of blue (a dragon's way of blushing) and took off.

_What were you doing last night? _Eragon asked suspicious of what Oromis meant.

_Nothing…oh fine…Lifskul asked me to be his mate. I accepted._ Saphira's reply caught Eragon off guard. He nearly fell off of her, but the leg straps held him in place. Only pure love radiated from Saphira through their mental link, and Eragon saw that she wasn't lying.

_You'll have to wait a few months for Lifskul to grow up though._ Eragon said skipping ahead to the subject of mating. Saphira blushed even more.

_Glad you don't have to wait?_ Saphira retorted, silencing Eragon in an instant.

_I love you too. _Eragon said hugging her enormous neck. Saphira just hummed.

Eragon got off onto the dragon pad, and stumbled into his room, and was asleep before his head hit the pillow. So much for being able to stay up all-night and still be battle ready. Saphira took off and returned to Oromis's hut in a few minutes. As Saphira landed, Lifskul scurried to her side and settled down by her side. He had told Arya and Oromis.

"Congratulations to the two of you." Oromis said as he walked out to see them. "Saohira, why don't you go train Lifskul for today. Just go flying together and perfect your skills."

_Yes master they both said at once._ And took off.

"Master, did any other rider-rider pairs ever occur among the riders of old?" Arya asked.

"As a matter of fact, yes. I know of at least five pairs that were together before the fall." Oromis smiled knowing what Arya was driving at. "And yes, their dragons did become mates as well."

Relief flooded Arya's face, because she had thought that Saphira and Lifskul took each other as mates, because she and Eragon had become mates influencing them.

"Elva, please go with Arya and train with swords and magic." Oromis finally said after a moment's silence. Arya and Elva left to go to the sparing field. Oromis and Glaedr took the rest of the morning to teach Alíshrä.

At the sparring grounds, Elva, and Arya took their places, and started to duel. In the course of the battle, Elva was hard pressed to keep Arya's sword away. Arya wasn't trying her hardest, but she knew that Elva soon would be able to defeat any human. After a half hour, Arya disarmed Elva with a small flick of her sword. Elva's eyebrows narrowed into slants. Arya felt Elva's anger. Before anyone could stop her, Elva raised her hand, palm glowing, and shouted a sentence of an incomprehensible language. Arya stumbled back, and felt Lifskul start to fall. Xen stepped out of the crowd or elves that had gathered around the duelists. He caught Arya before she tripped. He then raised his hand and shouted something in a language, not known to any of the elves, and closed his eyes as energy left his body.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Saphira watched in horror as Lifskul stopped flapping his wings, and started to plummet to the ground. Before she could react, he stopped, as suddenly as he had started to plummet. He was lowered to the ground slowly by magic. There, his scales started to change. They turned from the pure white that Saphira loved so much, to a pure, midnight black, only his claws and spines stayed white.

Saphira gasped. Her love had just been transformed by magic. The magic felt familiar to her. She couldn't place where she had felt it before, but she put it out of her mind as she landed by her mate and started to try to wake him up.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alíshrä paused in midair, she felt Elva do something that scared her. She had used the language of the shades, their secret language, to curse Lifskul. _ELVA!!! WHAT DID YOU DO?!! _Alíshrä shouted at her rider as she landed outside Oromis's hut, followed by Glaedr and Oromis.

_I did what he said to do. _Elva retorted.

_Who told you to do what. _Alíshrä demanded

_I don't know. It sounded like Xen, but I don't know who it exactly was._ Elva responded. _It didn't feel like I cast the spell. It felt like someone was controlling me. I don't even know what I said._

_Stay there, I'll be there as soon as I can with master Oromis and master Glaedr._ Alíshrä said, as she took off followed by her masters. By the time they landed on the sparing grounds, Alíshrä had filled Oromis and Glaedr in on what Elva had told her.

Elva was lying on the ground face up. Xen stood up from his crouch over Elva.

"She cursed Lifskul with a language, that I dare not utter here." Xen told Oromis.

"Where's Arya?" Oromis demanded.

"Over there," Xen pointed to a clump of Elves, surrounded a sleeping Arya. "She collapsed as soon as Elva shouted the curse."

"What happened here?" Eragon asked as he walked onto the field. "Saphira said something along the lines of Elva cursing someone."

"Elva has cursed Lifskul." Xen told him. "She shouted something in a language that all shades and I know."

"And I, if I know what you speak of." Eragon said, astonishing everyone.

"You know the Thyprên?" Xen asked.

"Yes." Eragon's response shocked everyone there but Oromis and Glaedr.

"I thought that you didn't dabble in the dark arts." Xen said in an undertone.

"I don't." Eragon replied.

"Then how on earth do you the Thyprên, then?" Xen questioned. "You can only learn it from a shade."

"When I killed Durza, his memories flooded through my mind, and only with the help or Oromis, was I able to free myself of those memories. However, I kept some of those memories that held all the secrets of the shades, because I thought that it would be a good thing to know the information that Galbatorix was taught. It will more than likely help me understand what powers Galbatorix has at his command." Eragon paused for a moment to let that information seep into Xen's head.

"So you taught this to Elva?" Xen demanded.

"No. I never taught her anything like this, and I can only assume that a person knowing that language, took control over her, and had her cast the curse." His eyes flicked over to Xen. "And seeing that I didn't take over her mind, you must have, because you are the only other person here who knows the Thyprên."

"Xen, tell me in the ancient language that you didn't use Elva to curse Lifskul." Oromis commanded.

"I cannot." Xen whispered.

"Oh? Why not?" Eragon asked.

"Because I did it." His face brightened as he continued. "It was time that I got part of my revenge on Arya."

Just then, Yanon walked over, followed by Zammíren. He took one glance at Eragon, Xen, and Oromis, and mounted Zammíren and took off. They flew for an hour, circling in ever-bigger circles around Elleméra. Finally they found Saphira crouched over Lifskul. She looked up at them as they landed.

_What do you want?_ Her voice was bitter.

_We need to get him back to Ellesméra so he can be cured._ Zammíren told her.

_Well that's great, but I can't carry him. _Saphira replied. _I'm not big enough._

_That's ok. I can lift him over with magic. _Yanon said.

_Ok, but if you hurt him…_her threat trailed off as she saw Lifskul stir. One eye opened and then the other. He looked at Saphira.

_Hello! _His voice rang in everyone's head. It was light and happy sounding. _What happened to me?_

_You were changed…_Saphira began. _Look at yourself._ He got up, and looked at his legs, wings, and torso.

_How did this happen to me?_ He asked slightly fearful.

_I'm not sure. _Saphira replied.

_Elva, from what I saw back in Ellesméra, cursed you in the secret language of shades. _Yanon told him.

_What!? She doesn't know that language. _Lifskul exclaimed.

_I know…But, almost everyone at the sparing field saw her cast the spell. _Zammíren said.

_I need to get back there, I think Arya is in trouble.—_

—_She was unconscious when we left. _Yanon said cutting off Lifskul. _Can you fly?_

_I…I think so. _Lifskul said shakily.

He raised his wings and took off followed my Spahira, and finally Zammíren and Yanon. They arrived back in Ellesméra in ten minutes, and landed on the far side of the sparing field. Lifskul's newly blackened scales caught immediate attention, and elves began to run over. Saphira and Zammíren walked on opposite sides of Lifskul, guarding him form the elves who had rushed over. They walked over to Arya, and Lifskul curled up around her, protecting her. He only allowed Eragon to get close enough to care for her.

Just as the sun was setting, Arya awoke. Eragon and Lifskul were staring at her for a moment before Eragon placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you ok?" Eragon asked her. She could see that he was tired. There were bags under his eyes.

"Yes…where is Lifskul, and who is this black dragon, and what the heck happened to me?" She asked him.

"Xen, used Elva to curse Lifskul in the Thyprên. He changed him black. He wrapped around you, only letting me to care for you, while you were unconscious." Eragon filled her in on everything that happened, and then helped her stand up.

"I want to go back to the tree house." she mounted Lifskul and slumped in the saddle. "I'm so tired."

"I'll meet you back home. I need to take care of some things here first." Eragon stood back, as Lifskul took off.

Lifskul landed on the 'dragon pad' and Arya hopped off. During the day, two new rooms were added for Yanon and Àshrá. Àshrá was sitting in the common room and Saelí was on the dragon pad sleeping. Arya stumbled into her room and fell on her bed, sound asleep.

**WOAH!!!!!**

**This is my longest chapter EVER!!**

**Ok, I would like two or three reviews for this chapter. I haven't gotten a review for a while.**


	18. Chapter 18

**Hi all**

**Just some business things to take care of before the story.**

**I'm getting on towards the end of school, so the updates are going to get pretty sparse for the next month to two months.**

**Thanks to all my AWSOME reviewers. **

**READ AND REVIEW **

**ALL REVIEWERS ARE AWSOME!!!!**

**I salute to them all.**

**LIGHTS…!**

**CAMERA…!**

**ACTION!!!**

Disclaimer:

I don't own anything but the plot and the characters and places that don't appear in Eragon and Eldest.

Chapter 18:

Arya awoke to the sounds of murmurs coming through her door. As far as she could tell, it was Eragon and Oromis. Arya felt exhausted. Every part of her body felt like lead, forcing her into her soft bed. The feeling went away after a few minutes, and she got up, and dressed. She left her room and sat down next to Eragon, who was talking with Oromis animatedly.

"What are you talking about?" She asked them.

"Lifskul has been cursed, as you know, and his scales turned black because of it. We are trying to figure out what the full extent of the curse is." Oromis told her flatly.

"From what Elva, or rather Xen said through her was 'May you and your dragon remain blackened forever.'" Eragon paused. "In theory, you should have turned black just like Lifskul, but you didn't, so something else bust have blackened."

"How do you feel?" Oromis asked, "You've been asleep for nearly four days."

"Four days! Well aside form that shock, I'm fine, jut a little cold though." Arya replied.

"Could you cast a spell?" Eragon asked.

"Sure…_BRISINGR!_" Arya's spell lit the lamp in the middle of the room and turned back towards Eragon. "Anything else?"

"Yes, maybe you can explain why you chose your flame to be black." Eragon suggested.

"I didn't what are you talk—" She turned around and saw the black flame dancing in the lamp. "Oh my gosh."

"That's the part of you that Xen cursed." Oromis spoke, confirming what Eragon and Arya were thinking.

"He made you the part of him that you hated." Eragon said. "Nothing could be a better torture for you."

"Acually, I don't mind it. I read that a dragon's color matched the rider's magic, and Lifskul and I didn't have this before, now we do." Arya's response caught Oromis and Eragon off guard. Both expected Arya to be extremely mad.

"I never, in all my imagination, would think that you would see good in the curse." Oromis murmured, barely audible.

"I'd be a fool not to." Arya replied. "Xen has brought me even closer to Lifskul than ever before."

"Do you still hate Xen?" Eragon asked.

"I hated the magic that he used." Arya answered, "Now that I can only use that magic, I cannot hate it, or it will destroy me."

"You didn't answer the question." Oromis interjected.

"You didn't let me finish Master." Arya retorted. "It would be foolish of me to hate myself, so therefore I cannot hate Xen for what I have. He is my brother, and I will always love him for that."

Arya sat down on the sofa next to Eragon and wrapped an arm around him and he did like wise.

**Author's note:**

**I've been meaning for a while to talk about Murtagh some more, and this chapter so far seems way too short to leave by itself, so I'll add Murtagh's portion to it.**

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

It had been over a month and a half since the burning plains, and Galbatorix hadn't tortured him. Murtagh was sure that he would because he had let Eragon get away. Galbatorix nearly destroyed an entire floor when he had learned that the last dragon egg in the world had been stolen, and the Ra'zac, who were supposed to be guarding it, were dead. Only with Murtagh and Shruiken's help, were they able to calm down the mad king.

"Sire, his Highness wishes to see you in the courtyard with your servant." A young, terrified page told Murtagh. The young page had been brave enough to enter the dragon hold where Shruiken was chained, and Thorn resided, tearing almost anyone he didn't like into shreds. He had accepted messengers, and Murtagh's servant, who turned out to be called Dernäs, only because Dernäs could massage Thorn's nose better than anyone but Murtagh. Dernäs did loved to do it, and Thorn was always happy to receive free, and frequent massages.

"I'll be there in a moment." Murtagh told the page, "Don't worry, Thorn won't kill you. He's been massaged well, and is content. In fact, He has given up eating/killing messengers, so you can all come in here without fear as long as you have a message." Murtagh informed the page with a smile. The page was still quivering.

"Run along." Murtagh commanded, and the page was all too willing. "Dernäs let's go."

"What does Glaby want this time?" He asked.

"I have no idea." Murtagh replied instantly.

"—No! I will not marry anyone!" Murtagh shouted in Galbatorix's face. Galbatorix's had called him to the courtyard to force him to marry someone. "I don't care what you do to me, I will not marry."

"Shame. I thought that you might be appreciative for me not torturing you after your failure." A smile lighted Galbatorix's face. "You wouldn't want to go through that willingly would you?" he paused. Silence. Murtagh stared flatly at Galbatorix. "I thought not."

"I am a slave to your will, but I hate every minute of it." Murtagh spat out.

"Are you not grateful for Thorn or all the training that I gave you, or even your miserable life, Son of my friend." Galbatorix was pushing Murtagh's buttons and both of them knew it.

**Ok, I know this is a bad chapter, but I'm having a mental block right now, and school isn't helping much.**

**Based off of the handful of reviews that I have received, people both want to put Xen 6 feet under, and yet some people want him to live. So for the time being, he is going to disappear, and then reappear at the least likely moment, in the most awesome way (I hope).**

**READ AND REVIEW!!!**

**Thanks for all you awesome ppl who think that my story deserves some reviews.**


	19. Chapter 19

**Hi all, **

**I'm hoping to get up to like 40 reviews by the end of the next chapter. (at 30 or so right now) Please help this goal come true. I don't care what you have to say, as long as you say it, I'm happy with the review.**

**Thanks to all my AWSOME reviewers. **

**READ AND REVIEW **

**I salute to all reviewers.**

**It's time to bring back some old characters…**

**LIGHTS…!**

**CAMERA…!**

**ACTION!!!**

Disclaimer:

I don't own anything but the plot and the characters and places that don't appear in Eragon and Eldest.

Chapter 19:

Elva and Alíshrä were flying over Ellesmére as they always did before bed.

_Whatever happened to that woman that we brought here? _Elva asked Alíshrä.

_Honestly, I have no clue. Maybe we can visit her._ Alíshrä answered her rider.

_I'd like that. _Elva replied. _I would like to get to know her better. She has to be very lonely here, being the only non-rider human in the entire city._

_True. Let's ask Arya when we get back, She might know. _Alíshrä suggested.

_You're right. _Elva admitted. _She probably does know._

They flew on for another hour and then returned to the tree house. Elva found Eragon and Arya sitting next to each other on the sofa, chatting.

"Sorry, I don't mean to interrupt or anything, but I have a question." Elva told them.

Breaking off from their conversation, Eragon asked: "Sure what is it?"

"Do you know what happened to that woman that we brought with us here?" She asked.

"Sàlmir?... I'm not sure. Arya? Do you know?" Eragon answered.

"Sàlmir… Sàlmir…Oh yah! She has been given housing near the center of Ellesmére…Ummmm…to the north of the palace I think." Arya clarified her self and gave more a more specific location. "Why do you want to know?"

"Alíshrä and I thought that she might be lonely. She is, after all, the only non-rider human in the entire city." Elva replied.

"Well, you might be able to visit her tomorrow." Eragon told her. "After your training, of course."

"I think that she spends her morning with the other spellcasters here in Ellesmére." Arya told Elva. "in return for their teaching, she would tell them everything that she knew about Glabatorix, his castle, Ûru'baen, and anything that the elves think might be important for the Varden to know."

"She's about five or six months pregnant now, and I don't think that a lot of strain would be very good for her. Finding out that you are a rider, might give her a fairly large shock to her system." Eragon warned her.

"She'll probably want to find out what I do here, and what my relation to you is." Elva said.

"Tell her the truth." Arya stated flatly.

"But I don't even know who my parents were!" Elva exclaimed.

"Nasuada and Angela never told you?" Eragon asked surprised.

"NO! They knew?" Elva asked.

"Of course. You are very peculiar. You're a half elf." Eragon paused to let that sink in.

"Then why don't I have pointed ears like elves?" She asked.

_Yes, please explain Eragon. _Alíshrä asked.

"Your mother placed a spell over you, so that you would look like a human in every way. I only got a hint that you were a half elf when your mind felt too vast, and too akin to Arya's to be human." Eragon explained.

"When were you in my mind?" Elva demanded.

"When? You don't know? Every time you contact me telepathically, I can feel every aspect of your mind. I don't pry into it, but I absorb lots of things." Eragon told her.

"And a multi-leveled conscientious doesn't help with absorbing only a little information." Arya added. "Eragon has to be picking up more than three times as much information as you do in the same amount of time."

"Oh, ya. I forgot about the weird mind thing that Eragon has." Elva remembered.

"So after you found out about Elva's mind, you did a little research. Right?" Arya prompted him to continue.

"Correct. I dug through the elfish records, and I found a book that listed the dates of every child, elfish-born, born in the last couple of centuries." Eragon continued to explain. "Your mother was a elf from here in Ellesmére, and your father, well, I was surprised to find who he was."

"Who just tell me." Elva demanded again.

"He was Morzan's cousin. Apparently an elf, if the records are correct. That means that Morzan, and in turn myself, have to be part elf. Also, it means that you are my cousin as well."

"Wow…" Elva was stunned. Alíshrä was as well.

"You keep finding more and more family as you get older Eragon." Arya noted. "First Morzan, then Murtagh, and now Elva."

"Which explains a few things about you." Eragon continued.

"What things?" Elva asked.

"I think that you may have some of Morzan's powers, just as I do." Eragon told her. "I'm not completely sure, but I just need to test you to find out." He paused for a moment to think." We could start tomorrow, if Oromis will let us."

"I can't wait." Elva said excited.

_At last…We can finally get a jump deeper into your training. _Alíshrä said.

_I know. This is awesome… _Elva trailed off as she got ready to sleep. The entire tree house shook as Saphira and Lifskul landed on the dragon pad. They had been flying together every night ever since they became mates.

In the last week, Lifskul had put on another enormous growth spurt. Even though he was about two years younger that Saphira, He was maybe a foot shorter in height, a few feet shorter in wing span, and almost exactly the same length. He was every inch the powerful and terrifying creature that dragons were in myths and legends.

_Pretty soon Lifskul will be bigger than Spahira. _Alíshrä commented to her rider.

_Aye. I wonder how long it will until they mate. _Elva wondered.

_Maybe about three months or so. _Alíshrä replied.

_I'm happy for them._ Elva said suddenly.

_Me to. I'm glad Lifskul chose Saphira, because I don't really fancy him as being the mate for me. _Alíshrä said.

_Really? _Elva asked surprised.

_With my claws crossed over my heart. _Alíshrä replied in the ancient language.

**Ok, interesting chapter to write, because I don't normally go into Elva's head that often. It's interesting to do. I think that I may have to bring out my minor characters for a few chapters all to themselves. **

**Tell me if you like that last line that Alíshrä says. I think that it's kinda funny/cute to imagine it.**

**Anyway. Please, please review. **

**I keep on asking fot them, and only a few people, less than 3 of the readers ever review, and about 30-60 of the reviews are by three of four people.**

**Please, I would like everyone to leave behind a review. I know that won't happen, but hey, I can still wish for it can't I?**

**READ AND REVIEW!**


	20. Chapter 20

**YAAAAYYYYY!!!!**

**39 reviews at the time I'm writing this, soooo close to my goal. **

**I'm also at nearly 7,900 hits!! This is so awesome.**

**Ok, as I said last chapter, I have this strange urge to get into my minor character's heads. I'm keeping it true, and this chappie will be…well…interesting to say the least.**

**I'm so sorry for not updating for a while, school has got me bogged down, and two very gripping (and very good), Tommy Lee Jones movies don't really help writing a fictional chapter. **

**OK**

**READ AND REVIEW **

**It's time to bring back some old characters…**

**LIGHTS…!**

**CAMERA…!**

**ACTION!!!**

Disclaimer:

I don't own anything but the plot and the characters and places that don't appear in Eragon and Eldest.

Chapter 20:

Sàlmir woke with a start. Ever since she had run away, she had had haunting dreams of Galbatorix. He kept on chasing her through the palace, and always calling her name. Sàlmir's dream always ended with Galbatorix cornering her, and just about to touch her. Then, she would always wake up.

The morning light streamed in through her window, lighting up a square of the floor. Ellesmére was always peaceful. No matter the time of day, it was always pleasant. Storms rarely passed overhead, and when they did, the air seemed to come alive.

Life was completely different from Ûru'baen. There, she would always be eyed by passing nobles, beaten until her chores were done, and then forced to learn form His Majesty. Then, that awful night. She shuddered. She would never recall that memory for the rest of her life.

Getting out of bed, Sàlmir dressed, and exited her room. Her 'house' was quite large. It had everything that she could ever want and more. Bathroom, Kitchen area, Living room, Bedroom, dining room, study. It was amazing to her what elves could cram into a tree. Every morning, just like her first, she found a tray of food sitting at her table. No meat. Just an endless supply of bread, pastries, soups, salads, nothing what-so-ever to do with animals.

As the sun rose in the sky, Sàlmir say and heard the dragons taking off from the rider's tree house. Sàlmir watched them go. They were up against a huge task if they wished to defeat the king, with or without the elves. The three riders that had landed a few days ago looked to be older, if not the same age as the King. They would add a great deal of power to the elves and the Varden. They alone could tip the balance of a battle against Galbatorix.

Finishing her breakfast, Sàlmir noticed a note underneath her plate. She opened it up and read:

"Dear Sàlmir, My name is Eragon, 1st rider of the new generation. My fellow trainee would like to visit you. I'm not sure what times you are available tomorrow, but if you can tell Vanír. I think that you know him. I'm not sure though. Any one should be able to relay your message to me, so just ask someone."

Sàlmir slumped a little. A rider wished to visit her. She had never expected anything of the sort to ever happen. She was busy every morning, but her afternoons were always free. "I sure hope this rider is free in the afternoon, because the elves aren't going to let me skip a magic session."

She told Vanír, who was always nice to her for some reason, and he relayed the message to Eragon. Her magic sessions were getting shorter the closer to birth, she got. Apparently the elves wanted to have control over Galbatorix's child. Pretty soon, there wouldn't be much of a lesson each morning.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully and Sàlmir got an unusually restful night's sleep. In the morning, she had no magic lessons. Her instructors had to go to some meeting with the Queen. It was a boring morning, all she did was walk around Ellesmére and absorb the beauty. An hour past noon, Sàlmir heard a knocking at her door.

"Come in!" she called form inside. The door opened, and there was the girl that she saw with the rider on her way here. "Are you Eragon's trainee?" she nearly choked on her words.

"Yes I am." Elva replied. "My name is Elva, if you forgot."

"With eyes like yours I wouldn't forget your name Elva. I've never seen anyone with violet eyes." Sàlmir replied.

"You must be lonely being the only non-rider human in the city." Elva said, "That's why I wanted to visit you."

"That's kind of you, I normally spend time by myself, but lately Vanír has come to visit me a few times." Sàlmir responded. They swat down on opposite armchairs. "Are you human, you look it, but knowing elves, you could easily be an elf."

"Actually, I'm a half elf, my father was an elf, and my mom was a human." Elva told her. "My mother just disguised my looks with magic."

"How old are you?" Sàlmir asked.

"I'm two years old." Elva replied, shocking Sàlmir. "I could tell you my story if you would like."

"I would love to hear it." Sàlmir answered eagerly.

And so Elva told her about Eragon's curse, her time growing up in the Varden, and her trip with Eragon. She left all mention of Alíshrä because Eragon had instructed her to not reveal that she was a rider, unless specifically asked.

After she had finished, they lapsed into silence for a minute. And then suddenly, Sàlmir started to tell Elva about her childhood, growing up in the castle, and all of her discoveries that she had made in her years there.

They talked and talked for about an hour-and-a-half, until Eragon came looking for Elva.

"Elva, the Queen wants to talk with all of us." Eragon called into Sàlmir house.

Sàlmir opened the door with Elva close on her heels, and let her pass. "Oh, Elva I almost forgot to ask, Are you a rider? What's your relation to Eragon?"

Elva sighed, called Alíshrä and said, "Yes, I am a rider, and Eragon is my cousin." Sàlmir was bewildered. "I'll explain tomorrow if you are free at the same time."

"I should be free almost all day tomorrow, just come by whenever you can." Sàlmir called as Elva mounted and took off on Sàlmir.

_Why does the Queen want to talk with us? _Elva asked Alíshrä.

_Eragon wouldn't say, but he dragged you out of there faster than I thought he would, so it must be pretty urgent. _Alíshrä replied.  
_True…_

They all landed outside the palace, and walked in, dragons taking to the sky to fly to the clearing next to where the meeting was going to be.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Murtagh stared down at the dark forest below him. The Du Weldenvarden stretched to the horizon in every direction, that he could see from his perch on Thorn's neck.

_Dang it, Where are they _Murtagh nearly swore, it had been a long week of flying to get this far into the forest of the Elves, trying to find any elvish city, in order to talk to Eragon.

_I don't know where they are. I wish I had a map. _Thorn snapped. Tensions had been mounting ever since Glabatorix had charged them with finding where Eragon was.

_Blame Galbatorix for burning all of the old rider's libraries. They probably had a few maps in the._

They flew on in silence, saying nothing, not stopping to sleep, or eat.

**OK, I threw in a little cliffy there at the end for some fun. I hope that you liked this POV, I might try it again if there seems to be a few people who like it.**

**Remember, I can only tell if you like it if you leave me a review, saying that you like it.**

**Please Read And Review**


	21. Chapter 21

**Wow, 55 reviews…I'm shocked**

**I'm really sorry that I haven't updated for like three weeks, but I got finals in two more weeks and my Mom wanted me to start studying.**

**I sorta want to have a chapter about the two other riders and their dragons. You know, the ones who had Lifskul's egg.**

**Ok, Off to the world of my imagination…or whatever is in my head at the moment.**

**READ AND REVIEW **

**It's time to bring back some old characters…**

**LIGHTS…!**

**CAMERA…!**

**ACTION!!!**

Disclaimer:

I don't own anything but the plot and the characters and places that don't appear in Eragon and Eldest.

Chapter 21: Homecoming

Yanon woke to Zammíren's growl. Turning over, he faced his partner's head, which lay next to his bed. Zammíren was asleep, but his teeth were bared. Yanon smiled. Sometimes Zammíren could be such a young hatchling at times. A loud crash from the common area of the tree house brought Yanon back to reality. After getting dressed quickly, he left his room to find Àshrá sweeping up a remains of a glass tray.

"Are you ok?" He asked.

His voice startled her, "Yes, I am. Did I wake you? I'm sorry." She replied.

"You didn't wake me, don't worry." Yanon walked over, "Zammíren woke me."

"Breakfast is on the table." Àshrá told him. "You may need to heat it up a little, it's been sitting for a while."

"Thank you."

During their time trapped in the Du Weldenvarden, they had set up a quick routine each morning. Alternating days, one would make breakfast for both of them, and start getting everything for the rest of the day, chores, etc.

Some of the elves would consider them extremely close friends, while most of the rest would consider the two rider, mates. Yanon and Àshrá had agreed scores or years ago that they were just friends, not mates.

Today seemed bright and friendly. The air was crisp, and was being blown into the house by a gentle breeze. The sun was just starting its routine assent into the morning sky, and the birds all around Ellesmére were singing their hearts out.

Yanin looked towards the horizon as he heard wing beats. The rhythmic thumps could be heard from leagues away. Judging by the volume of them, the dragon was far off. In the recent months the citizen's of Ellesmére had grown accustomed to the wing beats, and paid almost no attention to them. Something that could doom them to death or slavery at the hand of Galbatorix.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Murtagh was getting tired of traveling on Thorn's back for weeks on end. It was sore and fairly uncomfortable for any long trip. The fast that Thorn enjoyed rolling into heart stopping dives and acrobatics at unexpected times, made the pain only worse. (for all you guys reading this, imagine riding a bucking horse for hours on end **WITHOUT** a cup or any padding for that area.)

_Do you ever get tired of doing that_. Murtagh demanded after one particularly hard dive.

_No. _Thorn replied, _Everytime is a new adventure and is a lot of fun. I just don't understand how you can dislike it._

_I don't dislike it, I just hate it when you do it all the time for weeks on end. _Murtagh replied grumpily. _At least you don't have to question your gender after every dive. _

_Oh that bad? _Thorn asked.

_Worse. _Murtagh replied.

_I sense a large number of creatures about 5 leagues east. Wanna check it out. _Thorn asked, _It might just be what we are looking for._

For the last three weeks the rider dragon pair had been searching for a safe haven to hide form Galbatorix, so that they could work on nullifying their oaths. They didn't dare do it with out first being shielded by the elves because the magic needed to nullify their oaths would alert anyone magic sensitive in all the land of their location.

_I guess we should. _Murtagh replied as he spied in the distance. It was flying. _Thorn, look to the North, Is that Eragon and Saphira? _Murtagh asked.

_No it's a dragon, but it's purple, with a rider garbed in black. _Thorn replied, _But it's not a new hatchling, its about twice the size of Shruiken._

_Holy cow, that's huge! _Murtagh exclaimed.

_Lets get towards that haven that you found, it might just be an Elfish City if a Rider is near here. _Thorn said, accelerating up to top speed, trying to get far away from the purple dragon.

But it was too late. The purple dragon had seen them, and veered towards them and accelerated as well. Being bigger, and having a longer arm span, the purple dragon was upon them before they had gotten three leagues.

Thorn turned sharply to one side to evade the attacking dragon's initial charge. He then pulled up and flipped around, falling behind the purple dragon as it started to climb. The purple dragon abruptly stopped flapping as Thorn closed in, and started to fall right back down on top of Thorn. Tangled, they fell to the ground, yet landed softly as they snapped open their wings to break their fall. Murtagh dismounted cleanly from Thorn and drew his Zar'oc. He dulled Zar'oc as if he was about to duel, and stepped into a defensive stance, waiting for the purple rider.

Looking about, Murtagh couldn't find the other rider. He heard a hiss, and then a knife landed, point-down, in the loam between his feet. Looking up, Mutagh saw the purple rider levitating in mid air about 20 feet off the ground, violet blade drawn and gleaming in the morning light. The rider suddenly let go of his magic and plummeted down to the ground. Murtagh did a back flip away of the rider's blade, which buried itself into the loam right where Murtagh had stood moments before. Tugging his blade free, the rider drew a fairly long knife. From a hidden sheath.

"Why not attack me traitor." The rider hissed, obviously male. His attention was diverted from Murtagh as his dragon came to his side, and put a talon on his blades, forcing them down.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_What are you doing Vordéth? _Xen hissed.

_Stopping you from attacking a friend. _He replied back. _This pair are traitors to the traitor himself. _

"Traitors to the_ King_?"Xen hissed confused, "Explain yourself! Who are you, and what are you doing here near Ellesmére?"

"Where is Ellesmére? We are lost. We've been wandering through the Du Weldenvarden, looking for an elf city, or some one who could tell us where Eragon and Saphira are." Murtagh replied coolly, looking up to see Eragon and Saphira, a black dragon almost Saphira's size, and it's rider, an elf of some beauty, landing. On the horizon, two more dragons approached, both bigger than Thorn and Saphira, one red, and the other black.

Eragon dismounted, waited for the elf, and walked over. "Hello, I'm truly surprised to find you so close to Ellesmére."

"Hello Eragon, who is this?" Murtagh asked, indicating the black dragon's rider.

"You don't recognize her?" Eragon asked, visibly surprised. "Shame Murtagh, shame."

"Arya?" Murtagh began to realize who she was. She smiled.

"Yes, it's me. Come let's fly and talk about why you are here." Arya replied, and leaped onto Lifskul's back, and took off followed by Murtagh and Thorn, and finally Eragon and Saphira. By that time, Yanon and Àshrá were overhead, and headed back to Ellesmére with Xen after the three younger riders took off heading north.

Flying north, Arya found a sizeable clearing in the trees and landed there with Lifskul, and was followed by the others. After a confusing minute of distangling wings, and folding them to their owner's sides, everyone relaxed and Eragon, Arya and Murtagh sat down next to a fire that Murtagh had started.

"Much has changed since we've met brother." Eragon started looking over Murtagh.

"True, all of us have changed." Murtagh replied.

"You seem very different since I last saw you in Farthen Dûr." Arya added.

"A dragon tends to do that." Murtagh answered.

"No, besides that, there seems to be something fundamentally wrong with your," Arya paused. "…Well, demeanor. You used to be…how do I put this…energetic?"

"Being in Galbatorix's palace, totally different from everyone else except the king, only because you are bonded to a rider, makes one anti-social. I guess the lack of anyone to talk to, changed me into a reserved sort of person that I am now." Murtagh answered in a sad tone.

"Why have you come here?" Eragon asked, cutting right to the point.

"Thorn and I want to be free of Galbatorix." Murtagh sighed. "If you were put into the situations that we have, there is no way that you wouldn't want to stay there."

"You want us to neutralize your oaths to him?" Arya asked.

"Yes. Then I will swear allegiance to the Varden, Elves, and anyone who you think I should." Murtagh replied.

All six of them sat there until it was dark, discussing different things they should include in Murtagh's oath. The entire time, Eragon was communicating with Oromis mentally.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oromis had spent the entire day with Elva. At age three, she looked like someone four times her age. She was agile, and faster than the normal eye with a sword. She was extremely strong in magic, and always had a flare of darkness in her magic that worried Oromis. She was his only full time student. Young as she was, with Oromis's instruction, her mind was maturing to a level that was beyond Eragon when he first started.

Elva was there today longer than normal because of Murtagh's appearance, and just for her relative safety. Murtagh could be on a trick mission from Galbatorix.

Near dark, Muragh had finally been freed from his oaths by Eragon, Arya, Saphira, and Lifskul, and he had sworn an oath so binding that even if Galbatorix used his true name, Murtagh would never be forced to obey.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Who taught the two of you to be riders?" Murtagh asked while they flew back towards Ellesmére.

"You'll find out…You'll find out." was Eragon's answer.

**Ok people.**

**I want feedback on that fight scene.**

**I want to know if it was ok.**

**Read and REVIEW!!!!**

**TY**


	22. Chapter 22

**OK peoples, **

**I like the feed back I'm getting, and I would like to take a moment to thank all my reviewers. I know that people (authors) always say that, but it gives all writers a warm feeling in their hearts to know that someone cares about the story and all the work put into it…even if we get a little lazy at times and not update for a while…I know I'm guilty of that…**

**Quite frankly I want to bring Eragon and Arya back into the picture as major characters and I would love to have another fight scene. I mean like a whole page or three of just battle description and dialogue.**

**I want a review from anyone and everyone who thinks that I have written the story to the point where tensions have built far past the breaking point and a fight is mandatory.**

**OK, enough blabbering**

**STORY TIME FOLKS!!!!!**

**Read and Review**

_**I command you**_

Disclaimer:

I don't own anything but the plot and the characters and places that don't appear in Eragon and Eldest.

Chapter 22:

Morning found Murtagh's sleeping form in the common room of the "rider tree house." Slumped over in a chair, he couldn't have been very comfortable, sleeping in chairs tends to tighten one's back to the point of extreme, paralyzing pain. (It's happened to me several times.) Still, he slept on, oblivious to the surroundings he was in. A faint buzzing could be heard from Eragon and Arya's room. (Yes, gasp, they sleep together) A few moments latter, a tired looking Eragon emerged from the room and stumbled, half asleep, half awake towards the Kitchen area, and started up a small fire to cook breakfast with.

"Eragon, is it morning already?" Murtagh grumbled as he woke up to the sound of a snapping fire.

"I'm afraid it is sleepy-head." Arya said stepping into the common room, "Today, you must meet our teacher."

"With all the riders here, there must be a school for all of them." Murtagh said while stretching.

"Not really." Eragon said sticking his head out of the kitchen. "It's more like the riders training on previously set up schedules."

"Interesting." Murtagh said under his breath. "So why are you sleeping in the same room now?…Don't tell me you're married."

"Murtagh." Eragon said slapping his forehead. " I'm sorry we forgot to tell you. Elves don't practice marriage."

"Instead we take mates for as long as we want." Arya said picking up where Eragon had left off. "And we are mates now."

Murtagh sat down, looked at Eragon, and said: "You are the luckiest guy on the world. An Elf rider as your mate, more dragon riders that the king could imagine alive today…" He trailed off.

"I guess you are right." Eragon answered.

"Murtagh, now that you are free of Galbatorix's oaths and spells, what do you plan to do?" Arya asked.

"Train with you and Eragon." Murtagh answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I can do that right?" he added after a second of silence.

"I'm sure you could, I think that it would be wise to have the other riders agree upon it first." Eragon started. "The rider who you started to fight; Do you remember him?"

"Aye, I remember him, if his dragon hadn't stopped him, I would be ready for my grave." Murtagh replied.

"He is Arya's brother, Xen. He's attacked me several times already." Eragon started again, but was interrupted by Murtagh.

"Why?" Murtagh demanded.

"Because Morzan is my father." Eragon continued to explain, "Long ago, during the fall of the riders, Morzan killed Xen's love of his life." Murtagh took this in silently and Eragon proceeded to tell him Xen's story, how Xen went dark for a while, how then Arya 'killed' him, how he had recovered, found the other riders, brought them to Ellesmére, taught Eragon the Aura of fury, and attacked him.

"What about the other two riders, will they accept me?" Murtagh asked.

"I think that they will." Arya answered. "They are wise and most importantly very patient and understanding."

They all ate a quick breakfast of toasted bread and cheese, and prepared for the day. As they put the dishes away, Elva arrived on Alíshrä, and they surprised Murtagh. Both riders stopped, and looked over the other.

"Welcome Murtagh, Son of Morzan, rider of Thorn." Elva said looking him right in the eye with her violet eyes. "I am Elva, and that is Alíshrä." She gestured to Alíshrä's green bulk on the landing pad. "You didn't flinch when I looked you in the eye." She added, "Everyone, even Eragon and Arya have flinched the few first times I've made eye contact."

"Well, quite frankly, I wasn't really all that surprised at your eyes." Murtagh said letting her pass and sit down at the table, "Some one your age being a rider is really something."

"Want to know something scary about me?" Elva asked.

"Sure, scare me" Murtagh said in a joking voice.

"I'm not old enough to use two hands when counting my age." Elva said flatly.

"You're not pure human are you." Murtagh said still unfazed. "Elves grow quickly, much faster than you have."

"Galbatorix has been doing his research." Elva stated. "That, and taught you well so far."

Eragon served Elva her breakfast and took Murtagh out to the landing pad with Arya. "Murtagh, Elva has had many things go wrong for her. Please try to be patient with her."

"Alright Eragon. I understand…I think" Murtagh trailed off.

"Good, mount Thorn and follow us." Arya commanded, mounting Lifskul, and Eragon mounted Saphira. All three of them took off, heading towards the sparring fields. As they landed, the elves shrank back at the sight of another human rider. One who obviously had been a rider for some time (Based on Thorn's size).

"Arya and I usually spar for an hour before we begin training." Eragon said turning to Murtagh.

"I take it, you want to spar me." Murtagh said catching onto the direction the conversation would be heading.

Eragon drew one of his swords and guarded the edge with magic. "Defend yourself Brother!" Eragon settled into an offensive stance, waited for Murtagh and then attacked. Murtagh was a skilled swordsman…for a human, but he was no match, and he knew it. No mater what he did, Eragon's sword blocked his in a shower of sparks. He flipped away and started to circle Eragon, trying to catch his breath. Eragon drew his other sword and leapt at Murtagh. At the exact same time Arya jumped into the battle, and attacked Murtagh from a different angle, catching Murtagh off guard. Knowing that he was out classed, Murtagh drew his dagger, and back peddled to evade both attackers. Barely able to get his blades in front of Eragon and Arya's swords, Murtagh jumped over Eragon's head, putting Eragon between himself and Arya, and battled Eragon until Arya circled around them, and started to attack, performing the same trick he did the same for Arya. But this time, Murtagh had nothing left, all of his energy was gone, and he fell to his knees with a thump, knowing he was defeated.

Eragon sheathed his swords and kneeled next to Murtagh. "Are you alright?"

"Aye, I'll be fine, just give me a moment to catch my breath." Murtagh replied gasping.

"Ok." Eragon offered him a hand, and Murtagh accepted it, and got up.

"Once you've got your breath, Come with me into the forest." Arya told Murtagh, and he complied. Within ten minutes, all three of them were in a silent glade away from the sparring ground.

"Murtagh, before you go to see our master, you must swear in the ancient language to not reveal his existence to anyone without Eragon's or my consent." Arya commanded. Murtagh swore, and they soon were flying towards Oromis's hut. When they reached there, Glaedr wasn't outside the hut like normal. Eragon entered first, and found the hut empty, returning outside he said:

"He's not here…where could they be?"

"What do you mean by 'they'?" Murtagh asked.

"Our Master, more correctly Masters are a dragon-rider pair." Arya answered Murtagh's question. At her answer, Murtagh's eyes widened.

"You mean that a rider and dragon escaped Galbatorix's purge?" Murtagh asked in total disbelief.

"Yes, Murtagh, they escaped the fall, and so have three other riders and their dragons present here in Ellesmére." Eragon replied.

_If you would concentrate on finding them, we would solve this little mystery quickly. _Saphira's voice rang in all their heads.

Lifskul continued, _Elva and Alíshrä are coming right here, we can use their help._

_True. By the way, how did you find her? _Thorn asked.

_She hatched in the Varden while we where there. _Saphira answered.

_Hmmm… another female dragon. _Thorn commented.

_Watch it pal, Saphira's mine. _Lifskul warned jokingly.

_Really wow. _Thorn replied. _Congratulations._

_Thank you. _Lifskul and Saphirathanked him in unison.

Landing, Alíshrä walked over to the other dragons, as Elva ran to the riders, holding a sheet of paper.

"Everyone! Listen to this!" Elva commanded and then read out loud: "Dear Arya, I have come to realize that the human brat Eragon and the new human rider what-is-his-face, will never be able to destroy Galbatorix. In fact, since they are human, they are weak. Thus disabling them from ever comparing with elfish warriors. They aren't worthy of Master Oromis's and Master Glaedr's knowledge. So I have taken them to a safe place so that I can learn everything that they know. Don't even think about trying to find us, it would be futile. I have placed a shield around us to prevent you from detecting our consciences. Regrettably, Xen." After a moment's silence, Eragon sat down.

"How could he have done it?" He muttered. "How could he have kidnapped Master Oromis and Master Glaedr?"

"Elva, where did you wind this?" Arya asked turning to the child.

"It was dropped onto the dragon pad by a bird of some sort." Elva replied in the ancient language.

"The first thing to do would be to bring this to the Queen and the Lords and Ladies of her court." Murtagh said.

"From there we can decide on the next move." Murtagh continued, "But we should notify those other riders that are here. We will need all of their knowledge, no offence to your knowledge."

"That's ok." Elva replied. "I already contacted Yanon and Àshrá, they are going to meet us there. Apparently Yanon burnt the toast this morning while he was making breakfast and nearly burned their tree house down to its roots."

"Alright you three go on ahead, I want to look around here first." Eragon said as the others turned to mount their dragons.

"Ok, just be quick about it." Murtagh yelled from atop Thorn, "Time is of the essence here."

_Eragon, what are you looking for? _Saphira asked.

_Tracks, anything really, a sign of a struggle or battle, something like that._ Eragon replied.

_So a message carved into the rocks saying 'follow the blood' would be something that you are looking for? _Saphira asked.

_Yes, something like that, where did you find it?_ Eragon asked in reply.

_To the left of the hut. _Saphira replied. _Claws carved it, so Glaedr probably wrote it. There is also a golden scale there. Saphira continued._

After examining the message, Eragon sat down on one of Saphira's large feet. _What blood is he talking about?_ Eragon asked.

_I don't know little one, _Saphira responded. _Maybe the answer will become clear after we visit the Queen. We should have been there a while ago._

_Alright, let's go. _Eragon said with a sigh as he jumped onto Saphira, and they took off heading towards Ellesmére.

**Yay, another chapter finished!**

**I hope you like it.**

**I just wanted to throw a wrench into the normal plot lines that I see in most fan fics:**

**Eragon and Arya become mates, they destroy Galbatorix and everyone lives happily ever after.**

**I want a review from everyone who reads this chapter. **

**THIS MEANS YOU!!!!**

**Ty for reading**

**Read and Review!!!**


	23. Chapter 23

**Hi all**

**I'm amazed at the number of reviews I'm getting for the last chapter. As of right now, it is 7 reviews.**

**I have a really neat idea for another fan fic, but I don't want to write that one up until I finish this one. Don't worry. I'm not gonna speed through this one to get to another. I love this one. I think all of you readers like it too, by the feed back I'm getting.**

**Anyway, I hope you like this chapter. You finally get to see the Queen for some length of time.**

**Read and Review**

_**I command you**_

Disclaimer:

I don't own anything but the plot and the characters and places that don't appear in Eragon and Eldest.

Chapter 23:

Arya scanned the horizon for Eragon, He wasn't to be seen. "Where is he, he said he would be only a moment." She commented.

"He might have found something." Murtagh suggested. "He might have flown off on a trail of something…Oh never mind, there he is." Murtagh pointed to a blue shape that had just separated from the horizon.

"About time he showed up." Arya muttered.

Arya, Murtagh, and Elva, along with Lifskul, Thorn and Alíshrä had been waiting in front of Islanzadi's court for some time waiting for Eragon and Saphira, as well as Yanon, Zammíren, Àshrá, and Saelí. The two older riders had arrived within minutes of Arya calling them.

Eragon landed with Saphira and jogged over to the group of rather annoyed riders.

"You'd better have a good reason for keeping us waiting." Arya told him.

"I do. On the northern point of the cliff, Saphira found a message, carved into the stone saying 'follow the blood', one of Glaedr's golden scales was next to it." Eragon told the stunned riders.

"Follow the blood…Follow the blood." Yanon muttered.

"I don't believe it." Àshrá said aloud. "I think that he means the trail of bloody battles between the Elves and Dragons in the Furn du Skulblaka (war with the dragons)."

"I remember reading that with Oromis." Eragon exclaimed. It leads from Ellesmére towards the North about 100 leagues."

"So assuming that it actually was Glaedr who carved the message, if we follow this battle trail, we will assumedly find them at the end of it." Murtagh summarized.

"That may be true, but Xen is tricky." Arya warned. "When I was hunting him, he would never be in the same place for more than a night. After that he was always moving."

"So it's more likely that we will find another clue at the end of this trail." Elva continued, "Than to find Oromis and Glaedr."

"Shouldn't we be going to see Islanzadi now?" Murtagh asked. "That was the reason to come here."

"Yes, we shouldn't just go off on our own and try to solve this mystery." Elva added. "Her Highness might know something that we don't know about."

"That's very true. I'm sure that I do know more than some of you." Queen Islanzadi said from behind them on the steps to her court. The Lords and Ladies were behind her forming a white wall behind her blue dress.

"Your Highness. Oromis and Glaedr are gone, kidnapped by Xen and Vordéth." Yanon informed her.

"How did he manage that?" she asked. "We don't know. All we have is a confession note and massage carved into the rocks next to Oromis's hut saying 'follow the blood'.

"You have your work cut out for you young riders." Islanzadi spoke up, and Yanon and Àshrá looked at each other. "To find Xen you will need to use all your knowledge. I don't have anything to add to what you have already figured out."

"So you think that is what the message meant?" Eragon asked Islanzadi

"Yes I do." She replied. "Now get going. Every minute you spend here, is another minute Xen can get away with Oromis and Glaedr.

"We will leave as soon as we can your highness." Àshrá told her, slpeaking for all the riders.

"Then go." Islanzadi commanded.

The next few minutes was a blur of wings and gusts of wind as the riders took off. Each went to their respective homes, and obtained the food they would need for a long trip. They gathered their weapons, and met at the sparring fields.

_Everyone ready? _Eragon asked

_I think we are._ Arya replied. _Elva do you have the map of the battles?_

_Yup. _(If you aren't a New Englander that means yes.) Elva replied. She sent a mental image of it to everyone, and all six dragons took off with their riders, wheeling around in the sky heading north.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Brief author's note:**

**I've decided to insert another few twists into this plot…the first was the kidnapping of Oromis. The second will be shown in this chapter, a third will be discovered when the lot of riders find Xen, and the final for right now, will occur right after all non-empirical riders meet up.**

**Bwahahahahaha**

**I love throwing twists into this story. **

**On a side note, I'm beginning to feel that I may need another 20-40 chapters to get to the final sequence (3-5) chapters… please be patient. **

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

In the farthest reaches of the Du Weldenvarden, where the snow lay on the ground year round, where mountains rose up taller than the Beors, a storm was brewing. A storm of this magnitude had not been seen over the face of the land for over a century. Before the fall of the riders. Deep in the obscenely large caves of these mountains, an eye opened. The eye was larger that a full-grown Kull was tall. An eye of a dragon so large, that it was old enough to have lived during the Furn du Skulblaka. A bolt of lightening shattered the snow that was covering the cave. The light that shown in, revealed an orange dragon waking from a long sleep. The lightening strikes intensified as the dragon stood up and lumbered its way into the open. Standing to its full height, it surveyed the valley below it with its huge eyes. Spreading its wings, it took off slowly, and headed towards the warmer regions of the land He once ruled. He was the last of the wild dragons, the last king of the dragons, Enemy of the Traitor, friend of no one.

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

It took a week of flying to finally reach the end of the battle trail. The air was much colder this far north, and the dragons had to wrap themselves around their riders to keep them from freezing to death.

"Okay, now that we are at the end of this trail, what do we do now. Oromis and Glaedr obviously aren't here." Murtagh voiced up.

"In the letter it said that we wouldn't be able to detect minds because of a shield Xen erected around them." Elva had been trying to figure out a way to detect them.

"Scan for an area without any life. If there is a shield to prevent us from detecting life, there is nothing about it to prevent us from detecting an absence of life." Yanon suddenly exclaimed after a few minutes of silence.

"Perfect, spread out and try to maintain contact." Eragon ordered and once again they all took off.

**Ok, I know this is a really short chapter but I got a mental block right now.**

**I'm also tired too. **

**Please read and review, I cannot tell you how much it makes my day to see reviews in my email.**


	24. Chapter 24

**Whoa,**

**I'm shocked that there have been ****70**** reviews so far…it's sooo cool.**

**So far I have gotten ONE review on that huge dragon that I brought into the story last chapter. Apparently based off of that review the dragon is great…just like I wanted it to be.**

**If anyone is worrying about Oromis and Glaedr, they aren't harmed…yet.**

**I know that this is sorta pathetic, but I got my reasons.**

**Also I got some new ideas for twists to the normal book three plot. I'm soo evil.**

**I'm gonna really have fun playing with the characters, just as a cat plays with a mouse it has caught……**

**Bwahahahahahahahaha**

**Author coughs and keels over gasping for breath…**

**Anyway…**

**Read and Review**

_**I command you**_

Disclaimer:

I don't own anything but the plot and the characters and places that don't appear in Eragon and Eldest.

Chapter 24:

"Come on Glaedr they will be here soon. We have to get going."

_I'm almost done, don't worry._ The ancient dragon rumbled to the younger elf. _There I'm done._ He stood up to his full height with Oromis on his back, and took off, following the smaller purple dragon, leaving behind a carved message, and two scales.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Murtagh, are you sure you felt something over this way. We have been searching the same area for over an hour._ Thorn asked his rider.

_I'm positive; there was an area of no life about the size of the two young dragons that escaped the fall._ Murtagh replied.

_Murtagh have you found them yet?_ Eragon's voice rang through Murtagh's head. _You two have been searching for over an hour for that area you felt._

_I know Eragon. _Murtagh replied. _It vanished a short while after I detected it._

_They probably took off and left._ Eragon replied. _Maybe you should get as close to where you think you last felt it, and call us to you. We can all meet you there._

_Alright. _Murtagh filled in Thorn in on where to fly and land. It took an hour-and-a-half, but all six riders met and spread out to search by foot in a small area.

Within ten minutes, Murtagh burst into a clearing startling a deer, and sat down on a large rock in the middle. Lying on his back, Murtagh rested for a moment and watched Thorn chase Alíshrä through the sky. After a minute, Murtagh's back got sore, and he sat up. The sun reflected off something shiny in the grasses, and upon investigation. Murtagh found two Golden scales, gleaming in the morning due.

_Thorn I found something!_ He exclaimed. Thorn immediately landed on the side of the clearing and walked into the middle of the clearing where Murtagh was standing.

_Just like Oromis's hut. _Thorn said. _Now all we have to do is find a massage._

Just then Elva's voice entered their minds. _Have you two found anything yet?_

_Yes, Elva we have. _Murtagh replied. _We are here._ He sent her a mental picture, which she then gave to everyone else. Five minutes later. All the riders were scouring the clearing, looking for any message, or clue. They found nothing.

"Why would Glaedr leave his scales here like last time, and not leave a message?" Arya wondered. She yawned, looked up at the sky and found her answer. "Everyone look! She pointed to the sky. Only Eragon and Elva could see what Arya was pointing to without their dragon's help. There, miles above the land, flew Vordéth and Glaedr. During their search, they had been looking down, not up, and had failed to search the sky. Within minutes, they were circling around the two dragons and their riders.

_Congratulations Young ones,_ Glaedr said as they got closer. _You found us._

_Weren't you kidnapped?_ Yanon asked puzzled.

_No we weren't this was a training session that all riders went through before they could be granted the right to be Dragon Rider Masters. Eragon has already become a fully-fledged Rider, he did so before the Burning Plains. Arya, Today you and Elva have finished your training. _Oromis dragged on for hours as they headed towards Ellesmére on who was where and what still needed to be done in terms of their training. And as it turned out, everyone but Murtagh was now officially Dragon Riders, even Elva, as young and small as she was. In the week that it took to fly back to Ellesmére, Murtagh trained constantly with Oromis, while Glaedr trained Thorn.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Sire won't you go with your troops?" a general asked.

"No." came the cold and chilling reply. "I will fly there when they get there. First I have some things that I must take care of."

"Y-Yes Sire."

A door closed and the general's hurried footsteps could be heard as he rushed away.

_Come it is Time._

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Far in the upper regions of the Du Weldenvarden, the huge orange dragon flew with powerful wing beats that flattened trees as he passed over them. He had felt a shift in the nature of dragons, more were living than he had previously known to have hatched after the days of the forsworn. He headed for Ellesmére to find them. He figured that if they were bonded to riders, they would be training there. The one place Galbatorix wouldn't set foot. There he would enlist their help in fighting the Traitor. He was no fool. He knew that he needed help if he was to fight the Murderer. He was powerful. He was strong. But he knew that he couldn't take on an army and the most powerful rider in history at once. The elves would jump on a chance to dispose of the King and restore the dragons. Flying on his storm followed him. It sustained him, giving him power when he needed it.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"My lady. The Varden is ready to march." A commander told Nasuada.

"Very well. Start marching. Today we surround Ûru'baen." Nasuada replied.

The army set out at a slow, yet steady pace. Since the battle of the Burning plains, Galbatorix's forces had been forced back by the sheer determination of the Varden. Since most of the Empyreal soldiers were new, they weren't trained to battle, but were mere sword fawder to protect the more seasoned soldiers for when they came to Ûru'baen and had to defend the city.

"I wish Eragon, Arya and Elva were here. We could really use their help." Nasuada said.

"I agree." Angela said, coming out of no-where beside Nasuada. "They are long due. We have been lucky so far that the red rider hasn't shown up at any of the battles yet."

"Indeed we are lucky. I just hope they are ready to fight Galbatorix." Nasuada replied.

About a week after the burning plains, Elves by the legions had boosted the Varden's ranks. By now, elves were no uncommon sight.

"M'lady, there's an elf with a message from the Queen!" a page burst in exclaiming.

"Very well, send the elf in." Nasuada told the page, who disappeared as fast has he had entered. Turning to Angela she said: "I want you to here this, whatever it is. I need help these days with Elva and Arya gone."

"If you wish." Angela returned in a noncommittal (uncaring) voice.

The elf entered with unequaled grace. It seemingly glided over the dirt floor. "I am Vanir."

**OK**

**I didn't want to get to much into the detail at the end here.**

**I guess it's a mini cliffy but I really don't care. Its 11:00 pm or 23:00 in some countries.**

**I'm only cutting this one a little short is because I really want to get to the next chapter.**

**Read and REVIEW!!!!!!**

**Plz?**


	25. Chapter 25

**Yay! 75 reviews!**

**I hope I could get a hundred reviews by chapter 30. **

**I would really like that.**

**Now that school is out, finals over, and summer here, I hope to update more often.**

**I am not really sure where to start this chapter or what to do in it, but I feel like making it a long one. I hope to get about 1500ish words in. **

**In this chapter, I am going to have to start a side plot involving some minor characters. **

**On a non relevant tangent, (I'm not sure if I have already said this before or not.)**

**What do you think of Murtagh with two Uzis in a matrix like scene? (slow motion.)**

**I think that would be sorta interesting.**

**ANYWAY……**

**Read and Review**

_**I command you**_

Disclaimer:

I don't own anything but the plot and the characters and places that don't appear in Eragon and Eldest.

Chapter 25:

For everyone but Murtagh the next two weeks were peaceful. Only Murtagh had to train with Oromis, but Eragon still spared with him. Every day, Murtagh had a similar schedule to Eragon's when Eragon first came to Ellesmére.

Saphira and Lifskul spent more and more time together. Ironically, Lifskul was growing faster than Saphira, even through he was younger and by now, he was a good two feet taller at the hip, five feet longer, and had a wingspan about 10 feet longer than Saphira. When Eragon asked Oromis about this, Oromis told him that in the first few years of a male dragon's life, the male dragon would grow faster than the females. No one knew why. Not even the riders of old had been able to unlock that secret. It was a mystery as old as the race of dragons.

In time, Saphira and Lifskul would mate. But Lifskul was still too young, and still unable to breathe fire. To breath fire was a sign of maturity and ability to mate. They flew far and wide around Ellesmére just enjoying themselves.

In the midst of all this happiness, Xen had become even more bitter towards Eragon and Murtagh. Apparently Eragon being Arya's mate reminded Xen of his lost girl (or woman if you prefer.) No one really knew much about this mysterious elf that Xen loved. Not even Arya.

Oromis wanted to wait a while before he held the ceremony in which rider trainees and their bonded partners would pass from student to a full rider. Even though Eragon was already considered a full rider, Oromis had waited on holding his ceremony so that Eragon could learn more before the upcoming battle (the burning plains.) In the time of the riders of old, the master would bless the student, present him or her their sword, and then would address the dragon in a similar manner and give the pair a saddle that they would be able to use in any situation.

Preparations were being made for this ceremony weeks ahead of time. The elves in Ellesmére poured their effort into the tiniest detail in order to make everything perfect. It would be a ceremony to remember.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Vanir looked at Nasuada and Angela as if contemplating if they really were to be trusted, but then gave a small bow.

"I have a message from Queen Islanzadi." Vanir stated in a calm, yet sharp voice. Like a sword being put away into a well oiled sheath. "To Lady Nasuada, leader of the Varden, friend of the Elves, I am pleased to inform you that Eragon, Arya, and Elva will be able to come to you within a few weeks. Our troops are on the move now, and should be able to arrive at the same time. I am sending along a few persons and beings who I know will be helpful in the siege of Ûru'baen. Our magicians have scryed your campaign so our troops will be up to speed on the events that have happened. The time of the last battle is coming. Galbatorix will fall, and he will be replaced by a competent leader. One who will bring peace back to the land. After over a century of Tyranny, Galbatorix will fall." Vanir rolled up the parchment he had been reading from and stood silently awaiting what Nasuada might say.

Nasuada pondered this message for a while and then stood up. "The urgal nation will be here in a week. They pledged to work together, even against their tradition of being separate, to bring Galbatorix down. I can only hope that our riders are capable of defeating Galbatorix. Once they are here we will be able to organize our armies under them. Eragon can lead the Urgals, Arya the elves, and Elva the humans."

"I you can ask the queen when she arrives." Vanir said smoothly, "If this idea will work the best."

"The Queen will fight?" Nasuada asked.

"Impossible." Angela stated. "She is too important to the elves."

"Like it or not, our queen will fight with her daughter and son." Vanir replied. "You cannot stop her." He paused to turn to leave. "No one can, not even Eragon's teacher, not even Him."

"Who is this 'Him' that you speak of." Angela asked.

Vanir paused, facing the entrance of the tent. Without turning around he replied. "You should know when you see Him." Leaving, Vanir mounted his horse and rode off to the elfish section of the camp. About 20 elves were there because Islanzadi had sent them to protect Eragon in the battle of the Burning Plains.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nasuada stared out of her tent after the elf Vanir. He was disdainful at best toward humans. Finally she snapped back to reality and looked to Angela, whose brow was furled in a frown. She had a hand over her mouth as if pondering what had just been told.

"I have never known that the Queen had any children." Angela came right out and said. "What a surprise."

"She must have loved the father very much." Nasuada contemplated. "According to what I have read about elves, they consider having a child the greatest vow of love."

"You read correctly." Angela replied. "I wonder who her children are."

"I think Eragon would know." Nasuada abruptly said.

"That is a possibility." Angela pondered. "He has been in Ellesmére for a long time now."

"Far too long." Nasuada returned. "We need him as well as Arya and Elva."

"They need their training though, and if they didn't have that, they wouldn't be any use to us." Angela told Nasuada.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was the day of the Ceremony. Ellesmére was bustling with activity as elves from almost every city came to see a spectacle that hadn't been performed for too long. All the pairs were off flying by themselves around Ellesmére. It was forbidden for the riders that would be passing to riderhood to be present at the preparations. It was an ancient law of the riders. No one minded though. This was the one day where they could be with their bonded partner and fly free without any care in the world.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Still days away from Ellesmére, the orange dragon settled into a shallow dive. It had been so long since he had last eaten, and now his hunger overpowered his urge to continue flying to the elves. In his running landing, he trampled trees, animals, and anything else that dared to stand in his way. Once he settled down, he turned around and ate all the deer that he had crushed in his devastating landing. This took several hours and when he was done he sat down and curled up just like a dog, and fell asleep.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Galbatorix flew heedless of the peril that his troops were in. It was night and no one had seen Shrukien take off. That was a good thing. He didn't want any foolish rider following him to where he was going. It was simply too dangerous for Eragon. To dangerous for even an elf. Shrukien had made good time so far seeing as they were already flying above the spine. From this height they seemed like small hills before an empty plain that stretched as far as the dragon eye can see. (Dragons have better vision than humans and elves in case you are wondering.) Galbatorix could see the ocean. The dull, repetitive ocean. The only barrier that stood between him and his army. His army on the Island of Vroengarg, the ancient island where the Riders once had a major city. Totally destroyed by the forsworn. Galbatorix sat in the saddle wondering if he was even powerful enough to control this army, but he quickly banished the thought. He had the vault, he was in control now.

**Ok, ok,**

**It's not the greatest chapter I've written, but I am having difficulty staring at my computer when I can be doing stuff outside like biking, sailing, running (gasp I know I'm weird, I like to run) and other things.**

**Please tell me how it is, I would really like 100 reviews soon…**

…**Plz.**

**Author sighs and stares out the window across the street and sees neighbors swimming in their pool.**

**Argh, I WANT OUT!!!!**

…

**READ AND REVIEW!**


	26. Chapter 26

**Woohoo 80 reviews!**

**Ok people seem to think that that last chapter was short. I agree. I wanted to update soon, so I decided to not make it as long as I originally wanted. I hope to make this chapter longer. And I think that I will because I have to do the entire ceremony in one go, otherwise it loses something. Another twist to be revealed so be prepared!**

**I wish I could spend all day writing, but I can't. I still need to get exercise…WAAAAA**

**Author goes off to room and cries **

**Just read and review and I will be happy**

**Ty**

Disclaimer:

I don't own anything but the plot and the characters and places that don't appear in Eragon and Eldest.

Chapter 26:

Oromis stood at the head of the tent. It was a nice sunny day, with the sky free of clouds. The tent was set up at the foot of the Menoa Tree. Glaedr was crouched behind Oromis staring out into the crowd of elves. There was a fair breeze that kept the crowd cool in the shade. Queen Islanzadi stood up next to Oromis and spoke.

"It is indeed an honor to start this ceremony of the passage of our rider-in-training to full riderhood." There was a smatter of clapping, and then silence reigned as Oromis stood forward.

"It seems the most appropriate to pass the eldest into riderhood first." Oromis looked to his right. "Yanon, please come here." Yanon stepped out of the line of riders-in-training and walked up to Oromis. "It was traditional in the times of the riders to present a new rider a sword the hue of their dragon's scales." He turned and went to a table behind him with a blanket over it. "We are lucky to still have these." He drew off the cloth, revealing six blades gleaming in the sun. "These were retrieved from Galbatorix's collection of rider blades by Murtagh before he fled Ûru'baen." At this everyone turned to Murtagh and looked at him for a moment, making him fidget. "They have no name and no symbol because their riders hadn't the time to name them before they were slaughtered."

"Yanon. With the power invested in me by the council of elders, I present this sword to you this day as a symbol of your completion of training with me." The clapping started again and it lasted for a minute. "Yanon escaped Galbatorix's slaughter by flying into the Du Weldenvarden on Zammíren. Zammíren, please come here." Zammíren walked over to Oromis outside the tent and then stuck his head in under it next to Oromis.

"Zammíren you are a dragon privileged to be bonded to Yanon." Oromis placed his palm on Zammíren's nose. "May the stars watch over you." He blessed Yanon in a similar fashion.

In the same manner, Oromis blessed everyone but Murtagh and Eragon. Calling both of them to his side, Eragon and Murtagh walked over and stood on either side of him. "I want both of you to duel right here and now." This startled everyone, including Glaedr. Oromis reached to his hips and drew, and blocked both blades that rested there. He tossed one to Eragon and one to Murtagh and brought them to the base of Menoa tree. "You are to duel here until one of you wins. Murtagh remember your training." Stepping away, he had the elves gather in a circle around the two brothers.

Murtagh stared flatly at Eragon, gripping his blade and settled into a non-aggressive, yet non-defensive stance. Eragon did likewise and then bound forward bringing a web of sword around his older bother. Murtagh blocked a few blows and then jumped in time to avoid a jab to his right shoulder. In his jump, he flipped over his brother and slashed downward as he passed overhead. Eragon rolled forward leapt up, and turned to face Murtagh. They stood there looking at each other for just a fraction of a second before Murtagh attacked, forcing Eragon to retreat. Murtagh was visibly better than what some of the elves had seen in his morning duels with Eragon. But not good enough to beat Eragon. As suddenly as Oromis commanded them to fight, Murtagh's sword started to emit a blinding light. They continued to battle and Murtagh's blade continue to get brighter and brighter. Eragon was squinting in order to shield his eyes. Murtagh started to stretch his form, weaving around Eragon with unequaled grace and speed. With a yell, both of their blades met, and the light spread to Eragon's sword as well. Both riders in training continued to duel ignoring the light, and focusing on other. All to soon, they became on large blur moving in an out of the crowd, first one retreating, then the other. They were perfectly matched. Nothing that they did could penetrate the other's defenses. Only once they reached this point, Oromis stopped them.

"Enough. This has accomplished what I wanted it to. How do you feel Murtagh?" Oromis asked.

Eragon looked at his brother and his jaw dropped. Standing there before him was an elfish version of his brother. Pointed ears and every other elfish feature.

"I feel fine." Murtagh answered the elder rider.

"That's good, Please, some here, both of you." Oromis walked back to the tent, and the rest of the elves went back to their seats. "Murtagh, you have had a different background than anyone here. You served Galbatorix though it was unwilling loyalty. He knew your true name as well as Thorn's. But your true names have been changed due to the oaths you took to make yourself beyond Glabatorix's control. The two of you have come through more hardships than all of the riders still alive today including me." Oromis took a sword the color of blood off of the table and presented it to Murtagh hilt first. "May the stars watch over the two of you." Murtagh walked over to the other riders, leaving Eragon and Saphira alone with Oromis.

Overhead the sky darkened, but no one noticed, they were intently watching Eragon and Oromis. "Eragon, you have been my student the longest. You are also the first of this generation of riders. I have trained you differently than everyone else because of what I am about to give you." Oromis walked over to Glaedr and took a bundle from Glaedr's claws. "This is what Vrael was presented when he took over a leader of the riders." Oromis held it out to Eragon. "Unwrap it." Eragon did so and under the cloth coverings lay a stone, or that is want it appeared to be until it changed its color. "This is the rock of Kuthian." Eragon and Arya gapped at the stone with awe. "No one knows it's powers, only that it will store any amount of energy you need for any length of time, similar to diamonds, but it can hold an unlimited amount. I give to you because I believe you are worthy of being the leader of the riders. Do you accept this position?"

_Master did everyone else agree with this?_ Eragon asked Oromis with his mind.

_Everyone, including Xen, we are yours to command if you take this position. _Glaedr replied.

"I accept." Eragon declared so that everyone could hear. There was a murmur of approval and then Oromis presented Eragon the last sword, a deep blue blade. Eragon accepted it and belted it on to his belt. It was not the one he wore at the burning plains. Oromis blessed him, and then Saphira. A light rain started to fall and for the first time everyone noticed the weather.

"I hope this is what I think this is." Islanzadi said out loud suddenly. Everyone, elf, human and dragon looked at her. "If this is what I think this is, the wind should pick up any moment." True to her prediction, a couple minutes later, a squall came down on Ellesmére. (A squall is a lot of wind. Like 50+ mph/ 57 kph.) "Everyone to the sparring field!" The elf queen yelled over the wind with the aid of magic."

Everyone poured into the trees and ran to the sparring field. Eragon jogged with Oromis. "Where did you find this?" Eragon asked Oromis indicating the rock of Kuthain.

"I was on the night that you transformed that I noticed this bundle under a root of the Menoa tree." Oromis replied. Again Eragon looked surprised. "Why do you look surprised Eragon?" Oromis asked his former student.

"Do you remember if I told you what the werecat, Solembum, told me?" Eragon asked.

"Oh, now I see, that was meant for you to find." Oromis replied.

They stopped as the elves had stopped in front of them. Everyone in front of them was spreading out around the sparring field around the perimeter. A lightning bolt came out of nowhere and scattered a knot of elves. More and more bolts soon followed, and the sky darkened. The elves found shelter under the tent as rain started to fall. All the riders and dragons looked up. Above them was the largest orange dragon hovering on an updraft. He landed with a bone jarring thump, folding his wings as he landed.

He turned to the Elves and glared down at them with his huge eyes. Queen Islanzadi stepped out into the rain and walked in front of the huge dragon. "It's been a long time."

The dragon bent his neck down to move his head closer to the small elf. (In comparison to the dragon's size, the queen would be almost like a mosquito.) _It has been a long time indeed Queen Islanzadi. _He snorted, and a small flame erupted from his nostrils. _I feel the final battle for this land approaching. I need your help though. I am no fool. I may be strong and powerful beyond imagination, but I need a rider or something like that in order to defend against magical attacks._

"I'm sure we can find a suitable person to be with you." Islanzadi told the great dragon.

_Have them line up in front of me. _He ordered. He raised his head up and walked over to the other dragons. _I take it that all of you are bound to riders. _He projected his thoughts to every elf, human, and dragon alike.

_We are. _Saphira spoke for them seeing as she was the lead dragon.

_Who are you? _He asked. _Why do you speak for every dragon here, even though it is obvious you are not the oldest here?_ He turned his head and noticed a line of elves forming in front of him.

_My rider, Eragon, is the leader of the riders. _Saphira replied. _I am Saphira._

_Well-met Saphira. _He returned. He talked with the other dragons for a minute before returning his attention to the line of elves in from of him. He projected his thoughts the elves. _I need some one to protect me in this upcoming battle from magical attacks. _He placed he had on the ground, and instructed each one to come up and touch his nose. None of them passed his test. Then he had the rest of the elves come and do similar. None of them passed his test, then, he saw Sàlmir standing with her child, who was now about a year old, where the elves had been. He projected his thoughts to her and her alone. _Are you not elf?_ He asked.

_I don't think so. _Sàlmir hesitated. _At least I know that I am part human._

_Come here and place your hand on my nose. _He ordered. She walked cautiously over to him and placed her hand on his snout (another name for nose if you must know.) As soon as her hand touched his scales, she cried out in pain. Her hand was on fire. She nearly dropped her child, but managed to hold on and didn't drop him (the baby is a boy.) _What is your name? _He asked after the burning went away.

_Sàlmir. _She replied, still shocked at what happened. _What did you do to me?_

_I bonded you to me in a similar manner that a dragon and rider are bound, except it will not kill you or me if one of us. Also it is not permanent, all it takes is a small spell to reverse it. _He replied.

_What is your name? _Sàlmir asked gathering her courage.

_I have no name. I was born without my parents, both of them died long before I hatched. _He replied. _They were one of the first few victims of the Furn Du Skulblaka. I hatched a few months later._

_I'm sorry I asked. _Sàlmir apologized.

_It's ok. I took my revenge long ago. _He replied. _I'm over it now._

_I'm not sure how helpful I can be. I'm not as strong as even the youngest elf in magic, and I have my child to watch over. _Sàlmir told him.

_May I see him? _The huge dragon asked.

_Why? _Sàlmir asked with concern.

_I wish to give him something that will help him beyond what protection you could give him. _He answered.

_Swear that you won't hurt him in any way. _Sàlmir demanded.

_Very well, _He replied and adopting the ancient language, continued saying, _I will never bring any harm to this child, or cause any harm or pain, physical or mental._

_I accept your oath. _Sàlmir held out her child. The orange dragon touched his hand and Sàlmir felt a surge of power and energy transfer from the old dragon into her child. Sàlmir looked at his hand to only find unmarked skin. _What exactly did you do him?_

_He had the potential to become a powerful magician. _The dragon replied. _I made that potential into reality. He will grow rapidly; his body and mind will grow and age at least 5 times as fast as a normal human. If you look at the rider Elva, you will notice that she seems a little young to be a rider, but appearances are deceiving. She is really no older than 4. _(If this age is wrong, please don't kill me, I think that she was younger that 2 at the burning plains, so I think this age makes sense to me.) _It won't affect the age he dies at if he isn't killed by a mistake before hand, during his training. _

_So he will be able to walk or something like that by the time of the battle? _Sàlmir asked.

_Maybe. He might be able to walk, but I don't know how soon the battle his. _His mind was like a large cavern. It seemed to go on forever and ever. It was huge, just like the rest of his body.

_Thank you. _Sàlmir hugged his snout, and he put a claw around her, pulling her closer to him.

_You're welcome._ He replied warmly.

Above him, Saphira and Lifskul were flying. They wove in and out of each other. _What are they doing? _Sàlmir asked.

_They are mating. _He replied, orange eyes following the pair in the sky. The first mating in so long.

_Not true. _Sàlmir informed him, _Zammíren and Saelí mated, and their daughter is Alíshrä._

_Hmm. Are Eragon and Arya mates? _He asked his new friend.

_I don't really know. I think that they are, but I have never asked them before. _She replied.

_You should ask them. Technically you are a rider now, so you are level with Arya in terms of rider rank. _He replied.

_What do you mean I am a rider? _Sàlmir asked surprised at what he had said.

_You are my rider for however long we both want to be bonded, but the spell that breaks us will eventually become irreversible, meaning that we would be bonded forever. _He answered, and then asked, _Who is his father?_

_You would hate me if I told you. _Sàlmir replied.

_Galbatorix? _He asked. _It's ok, I really don't care. It just means that your son will be extremely powerful for a human, and almost on par with a few elves._

_Wow. _Sàlmir replied.

_We need to get a saddle that will fit me. _He said getting up onto his feet. Without it you will get cut up on the inside of your legs because of my scales.

_I think we will need to see the queen for that. _Sàlmir told her partner.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Eragon and Murtagh were at the sparring field comparing swords. Arya was talking with Elva and Àshrá on the side. The storm had disappeared as soon as Sàlmir had touched the dragon, and now the sun was directly at the height of its path through the sky. It was finally peace.

**Oh my gosh this chapter is long.**

**I hope that you liked it. It took like five hours to write and read through.**

**3,000 words. That's one heck of a chapter.**

**I hope that this is long enough for those of you who thought that the last one was too short. I was getting kind of desperate to make this a long chapter before I thought of the Sàlmir/Orange dragon bond.**

**Lol I love the dragon. I think it is sorta the thing that sets my story apart from other book three stories. **

**As you may have guessed, the final battle is less than five chapters away, but you may be guessing why just a few chapters ago, I said 20-30? (I'm not sure what I said.) chapters to the end of this story. That's because this story doesn't end with the battle like I think some of the other book three stories do.**

**I'm not spoiling the story for you, and I'm not going to give you any more info on the up-coming plot.**

**Please…**

**READ AND REVIEW**

_**I COMMAND YOU.**_


	27. Chapter 27

**I wish I had more reviews for the last chapter. **

**I think 3000 words worth of a chapter is worth reviewing. **

**I know that there were a few confusing things about last chapter, but I think that I will be able to explain them in this chapter.**

**This may be the last chapter before a gap of no updates…I kinda need to reorganize the plot, and sort everything out. **

**Just make me happy and…**

**READ AND REVIEW**

_**I COMMAND YOU**_

Disclaimer:

I don't own anything but the plot and the characters and places that don't appear in Eragon and Eldest.

Chapter 27:

Murtagh walked with Oromis three mornings later asking why and how he had changed.

"It's quite simple actually." Oromis began. "The swords that you sparred with were the swords of equality. They were made in desperation during Galbatorix's genocide of Riders. It was made so that a new rider would gain the abilities of an elder as they sparred. It was a magic that transferred power and knowledge into the younger rider."

"You mean that what I have gained is from Eragon's transformation?" Murtagh asked.

"You are correct." Oromis answered. "The transfer didn't alter any of Eragon's powers, it just made a copy of them and transferred them into you."

"Sweet. I can't wait to our next duel." Murtagh exclaimed. "I want to see how even we actually are."

Oromis smiled. "I'm afraid that I cannot let you do that."

"What! Why?" Murtagh demanded.

Oromis held up his hand in order to calm Murtagh. "Every elf, dragon, and rider needs to put as much energy into the Rock of Kuthain as possible before the battle. That way all the riders have a huge reservoir of energy to use during the battle."

"It's going to be sort of pointless master." Murtagh said with a smile.

"What do you mean?" Oromis asked.

"I have the vault of souls to draw my energy from." Murtagh replied.

"Hmm I have an idea." Oromis said after taking this new information in. "After everyone transfers energy, I want you to spend hours, or as long as you can, transferring energy from the vault into the rock. That will give us a massive amount of energy. That would be able to support the entire magician corp. for at least one day, if they are slightly conservative with their energy usage."

"I could be with the rock for the entire time before the battle, and during the battle if I am not needed, to transfer energy into the rock as often as I can." Muratgh offered.

"If everyone else agrees with that," Oromis replied, "that would probably be the best thing to do."

"Let's head over to Eragon, Arya, and Elva." Murtagh suggested.

"Do you know where they are?" Oromis asked.

"No, but I can know in a few moments." Murtagh closed his eyes and stopped for a few seconds, and then opened them. "They are all still in their tree house. Thorn is there as well."

After five minutes of walking, the duo arrived under the tree house. Murtagh accessed magic, and lifted them both up to the dragon pad. Everyone was there. Yanon and Àshrá were deep in conversation with Eragon and Arya, all of whom were standing next to Saphira, who appeared to be in pain. Elva looked at Murtagh and Oromis as they touched down on the dragon pad.

"I think that Saphira is in labor." Elva said as Oromis walked towards Saphira.

Oromis examined Saphira and then settled into thought.

"Master is it labor? I didn't think that ragons gave birth to their eggs so quickly." Eragon asked Oromis as he walked over to the old elf.

"I actually expected this last night or even last evening at the earliest." Oromis answered Eragon. "After the Furn Du Skulblaka, and the bonding of dragons, elves, and humans, the rate that a dragon gave birth to an egg rapidly increased."

"So is this normal?" Eragon asked after wincing as he felt Saphira's pain.

_Saelí, how long was it until you gave birth to Alíshrä's egg?_ Oromis asked the elder female dragon.

_Three days exactly. _Saelí replied so that all could hear.

"Then I would say that this is indeed labor that Saphira is in." Oromis declared standing up.

Meanwhile, Alíshrä had nipped Thorn's tail and had taken off as Thorn took off after her, chasing her over Ellesmére.

_That was uncalled for Alíshrä. _Elva scolded her partner.

_I know, but it's fun to have him chase me. _Alíshrä was happy. Elva couldn't believe it. Alíshrä seemed to be in love with Thorn.

After a tense morning, Saphira finally gave birth to a yellow egg. Lifskul and Saphira curled up around their egg protectively to allow no harm what so ever to come to their child.

Oromis stepped forward to the pair, and then solemnly asked, "Saphira and Lifskul, would you like your child to be bound to a rider?"

Saphira and Lifskul blinked for a moment and then answered at the same time _Yes. We would like our child to be bound to a human or elf._

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Galbatorix stood at the head of a massive force of creatures standing at attention in rank. They weren't Urgals, but they weren't remotely human or elfish, a seeming mixture of all three. They were standing on the ruins of Doru Areaba. According to his information, they came from the same lands as the elves and humans. Both races hunted them for sport. At least that is what they said about their reason to come here. They also told Galbatorix something very interesting.

According to them, Humans and Elves had met while hunting and the humans learned of a land on the other side of the sea that some of the elves had fled to in order to escape massive Urgal attacks. The humans returned to their homeland and told their king about this new land. This King of theirs was greedy and wanted all of this land for himself and his heirs, so he organized an expedition to go and see if this land actually existed.

Unfortunately he had died before the expedition returned and a much kinder king had replaced him. This king received the news of a far away land and decided to save that land for a desperate time. That time came hundreds of years latter when the population of Ra'zac boomed and they started to attack the humans. Their ferocity was unequaled by the Humans and they eventually went, in desperation, to this land discovered by their ancestors.

As fate would have it, the humans and elves both subdued their respective attackers, and were able to resume their lives once more in peace. This is when they both set their sights on hunting their favorite things; the creatures that stood before Galbatorix, their new leader.

After being hunted for millennia, these creatures followed the elves and Humans to this land. Once they arrived, they began to realize that they could be all-too-easily be eradicated, and set up a society revolving around a huge army. As long as a member of their race lived, they were members of the army. (The really young ones weren't in the army.) Thus, they were exactly what Galbatorix needed. He knew that his army wouldn't stand a chance against the elves in a long campaign. According to the previous leader, which he had killed to gain control of the army, almost half of the army could use magic, and 20 of those magicians could compare with an elf. They had read the un-burnt scrolls in the library of the riders, and had learned how to use magic.

"Prepare for War." Galbatorix yelled with a grin on his face, ordering in what he felt was the key to finally destroying all creatures that opposed him.

**I know this is a really short chapter, but I felt obliged to turn on out quickly since I haven't updated for a while.**

**Please tell me what you think of these creatures **

**and more importantly**

**a NAME for this race. **

**Give me anything that you think would suit them. **

**READ AND REVIEW!!!!**

**Merci **

**(French for thank you)**


	28. Chapter 28

**OK PEOPLES!!!**

**It's time for Elders to keep on rolling!**

**I'm still undecided on a name for this new race, but everyone who has reviewed with ideas for the name has come up with very good ones. **

**REMINDER!:**

**I don't care how bad you think that your name is. It may just be what I am looking for. SO PLEASE TELL THEM TO ME!!!!**

**As I explained at the end of chapter 27, it was a short chapter so I could churn out more and more of these. You'd be surprised how long it takes to write a long chapter, compared to writing two shorter chapters. I don't know why this is true.**

**READ AND REVIEW**

_**I COMMAND YOU**_

Disclaimer:

I don't own anything but the plot and the characters and places that don't appear in Eragon and Eldest.

Chapter 28:

After an extensive search for a rider for the yellow egg, no one was found. Even the queen had presented herself to the egg.

"This dragon is fated to not hatch for an elf in this age." The Queen announced after the presentation of the egg. "We must now send with Eragon and Oromis and the others to be presented to the Varden and the people of Surda."

And that was final. Over the next day and a half, preparations were made to fly and march to the Varden. To Sàlmir, it was just one blur. She spent almost all of the time with the ancient dragon king, learning how to best protect him while also allowing herself to be protected from stray arrows that her wards might have missed. She was not rejected from the rest of the riders, but she almost never spent time with them. Her joy in life was her son and the dragon king. Her son, even though it had been only a day and a half, he was already an inch taller than he was before the spell was placed upon him. The elves had assured her that it wasn't painful or uncomfortable when she asked about growing pains that he might be having. It was an uncomfortable time, being newly elevated to riderhood. She was unaccustomed to the attention that was paid to her. All of the elves bowed to her no matter how she asked them to stop. Only Vanír respected her wish and didn't bow to her, only the king of dragons.

Vanír was odd. He seemed young for an elf, yet Rider Eragon treated him as an equal, even though Vanír was clearly not. She wondered.

**Earlier that Morning:**

Eragon woke to find Arya not next to him as normal. He dressed quickly and entered the common room to find Murtagh and Arya whispering together with Elva and Vanír. Vanír stood up as he saw Eragon enter the room and said, "I'd best be going."

The others straightened up and went about their normal morning. _What was that about? _He asked Arya.

_Nothing much._ Arya replied in the ancient language.

_And I'm not privileged to know what this small something is? _Eragon asked.

_I never said it was small. _Arya replied grinning with her touché. (If this is not the word, tell me!)

Eragon folded his arms and walked out to Saphira, who was wrapped around her precious yellow egg. As he placed a bank on her side, she opened an eye. _Good morning little one._

_Do you know why Vanír was up in the common room whispering with the others? _Eragon asked.

_Yes, but a swore not to tell you. _Saphira placed the tip of her wing around Eragon.

_Why is everyone plotting behind my back? _Eragon asked.

_That, I cannot tell you now. _Saphira answered.

_You swore that as well? _Eragon asked

_You can by my tail I did. _Saphira responded drawing Eragon closer to her. Eragon sighed, and then went back inside to eat breakfast.

After a simple meal, he went down the stairs to the base of the tree and strolled around Ellesmére to take in the air and relish it for everyone would be leaving for the Varden the next morning. Around lunch, Eragon found his way to the sparing field where everyone was giving energy to be stored in the Rock of Kuthain for the battle. Saphira was sitting with Lifskul over to one side of the field. Eragon looked at the long line winding off into the distance. Eragon spotted Arya and Murtagh standing with Elva next to Oromis at the head of the line. He walked over to them and joined in their looking at the line.

Xen landed on Vordëth, dismounted, and walked over to the group of riders as well. He glared at Eragon for a fraction of a second before greeting Arya with a hug. He Sat down on the hard ground and waited until it was time to give their energy.

As predicted, it took a while for the elves to give their energy, but after they left all tired, Eragon and the others followed by the dragons, came to present their energy. Before Saphira could transfer her energy, Oromis looked at her and told her, _You need to recover from giving birth, and your child demands constant watch, so you need energy for that. Do not start giving energy until we reach the Varden._

_As you wish Master. _Saphira replied.

After her, the King of the Dragons came forward and prepared to transfer his energy. Everyone felt the build up as he gathered the energy, and then suddenly, a blue bolt of light left his nose and entered the rock of Kuthain, which glowed blue for a moment. He stumbled away from the rock, and then Oromis gave the rock to Murtagh.

"Use the vault pour your energy into it." Oromis commanded him.

"Yes Master." Murtagh replied.

"Murtagh, I have a question for you." Oromis told him.

"What is it Master, I may be able to answer it." Murtagh Replied

"After you or Galbatorix used the Vault for large spells, could you feel it depleted?" Oromis asked.

"Just a slight bit, almost un-noticeable." Murtagh answered.

"Then that is to our advantage." Oromis replied. "As soon as Galbatorix realizes that the vault of souls is depleted to almost nothing, he will have almost no energy to attack us with, and will have to rely on his troops, and Shruiken."

Sâlmir came running up and transferred her energy as well. Not much was said after that. Eragon, Arya, Elva, and Sälmir fell asleep at the dinner table, and Murtagh looked up from the rock, and stole their dinners. After wolfing them down, he went back to his seat and continued to drain the vault. By this time, he felt the vault beginning to weaken. Galbatorix would surly have noticed by now if he was even the slightest bit attentive to the vault.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fortunately, Galbatorix hadn't noticed the loss of energy in the vault. He was too preoccupied with preparing the army for departure from the island that had been their home for so long. It took about a week, but finally, all the supplies had been loaded onto an armada of jet-black ships. An entire morning was spent boarding the ships and making ready to cast off.

Galbatorix took this time to make his way to the center of the ancient city of the riders. He stood in the very center of the ruins and slammed his palm onto the ground. Almost at once, lines of light ran through the square that he was in and a set of stairs suddenly appeared as a large stone moved to one side of its entrance. He glanced around him to make sure no one saw him, and then descended underground. He flicked his wrist and a ball of flames leapt to life. Using this as his light, he held his hand above his head, and continued into the musty depths of the tunnel. For minutes, there was just the ever turning, ever descending tunnel. Suddenly, it emptied out into a large cavern. At the center of the cavern, there was a pool that emitted a faint blue light. Galbatorix walked to its bank and gazed into its depths. It seemed to stretch on forever underground, and Galbatorix knew it did. This was the vault of souls. Above the pool, there was a formation of rock that had a constant drip of what looked to be water at a glance. It was really the souls of any and every thing that had just died. Humans, trees, bugs, birds, horses, they all dripped into the pool. Galbatorix looked into the pool again and saw the same sight that he had always seen since he had gotten Shruiken.

It was Shruiken's original rider, hovering just under the surface. She was a young looking elf, and would probably be fancied beyond any elf. She was dead, but since Shruiken was part of her, she was alive at the same time. Galbatorix sneered at her. "You are so pathetic." He heard her screams of pain, pain that was caused by her separation from Shruiken. Just as he said this, she did something that she had never done before. Her eyes turned and she gazed at Galbatorix. He stumbled away from the edge and stared at her. Galbatorix felt a huge surge of energy leave the vault and he felt Shruiken cast a spell with the energy. The elf lady suddenly started to shine and Galbatorix was nearly blinded. He looked away for a moment and once the light had left the cavern, he again turned his eyes to the pool to find the elf lady not there.

"It's been a while Galbatorix, but Shruiken shall once more be reunited with me." The elf lady had come out of the pool and was now standing before Galbatorix; however, she was between him and the exit. Galbatorix drew his sword, knowing that if it came down to a magician's duel, he would not be able to beat her. It was probable that she could draw from the vault's energy seeing that she had dwelled in it for so long. That would only leave the difference between the energy stored in any elf, and the gem set into Galbatorix's hilt.

The elf didn't move from her position by the entrance as Galbatorix strode towards her, full of bravado. (Bravado means false courage that is displayed.) The elf was unarmed, and she was now facing the most feared person in the land.

"Care to duel to see who has the right to leave this cavern in control?" She asked in a soft voice that chilled Galbatorix to the bone. He had never been in this situation before. He was facing some one who didn't hope, didn't think, but knew that they could beat him. He still had to try. He wouldn't let everyone that he was afraid of one elf.

He had killed the leader of the riders. This elf was nothing compared to him, Galbatorix told himself.

"No swords here." The elf said, before disarming Galbatorix with magic. "Only magic."

"Why waste time?" Galbatorix suddenly spoke. "We can go on forever until the vault empties of energy."

"I would rather not have you biting at my heals, trying to stop me from leaving this island." She spat on the ground. "It would be annoying."

"You cannot beat me." Galbatorix said as he gathered energy from the vault. The energy was too much to remain in his body and blue lightening bolt looking formations started to arc from different spots on his body.

"You have been disillusioned over your years on the throne growing fat." She spat again and then raised her right palm and shouted something incomprehensible. Instantly, almost all of Galbatorix's energy left his body and formed an orb of blue light floating chest height off the floor of the cavern. Galbatorix crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

"Now you are nothing. No magic, no dragon, no sword. Nothing to set you apart from any other riders." She grasped the orb of light and pulled it into her body. She now had energy for magic. She grasped Galbatorix's body, and dragged him out of the cavern. On her way out, she grabbed his sword from where her spell had thrown it, and took it with her. As she exited the tunnel and entered the bright sunshine, a circle of weird creatures formed a circle around her. One of them stepped forward and in a harsh voice said,

"You have beaten our leader, and as the customs of our kind decree, you are our new leader." He spoke with authority.

"Your kind will be needed only when the time is very dire." The elf told the one who had spoken. "Remain here until one comes bearing this symbol on their back." She turned around and let them see the Yawë symbol on her back. "If they have it on a ring, obey them as well."

"We will do as you command M'lady." The speaker said. "We will await your or your messenger's arrival and be ready to leave at a moments notice."

By this time, Shruiken's shadow passed over them, and the elf ran to where he landed, dragging along Galbatorix with magic. She ran over to him, and embraced his nose.

_We need to find Xen._

**OK, a mini cliffy for y'all**

**I still need a name for this race, and I need a name for this elf. I want something that seems to flow off the tongue. This is a long chapter because I just got on a roll with the vault, and I just had to keep on writing…**

**Next Chapter will probably be the beginning of the final battle, so keep reading.**

_**READ AND REVIEW!!!!!!  
**_**NOW! PRONTO!!**


	29. Chapter 29

**Hi all.**

**We are almost there. Almost at the 100 reviews mark.**

**I have looked forward to this for so long.**

**Anyway, I would really like to have finished this story by the time school starts so I can concentrate on schoolwork. I need to get like all A's.**

**The story may seem a little quick now, but I really feel that it is necessary for the story.**

**I hope everyone has been having a good vacation so far, and I would like to take a few lines now to just thank everyone who has read Elders. I know that without everyone's support, I wouldn't be writing. I would like to give everyone who reads this, a little present. No more about that till the final chapie.**

**Bwahahahaha the SUSPENCE!!!  
**

**READ AND REVIEW!!!!**

**I need the reviews.**

Disclaimer:

I don't own anything but the plot and the characters and places that don't appear in Eragon and Eldest.

Chapter 29: Homecoming

Saphira landed among the Varden's tents amid a roaring crowd. To them, she was the source of their victory. She ran to a halt at the end of a clearing that the Varden had made to allow her to land and take off. Elva followed close behind on Alíshrä.

They both dismounted and strode off towards the Elvin section of the camp. There they found Vanír, who Eragon asked to accompany them to Nasuada's tent. Vanír obliged, and the three of them walked to Nasuada's tent. Outside her tent, stood three guards, whose minds were shielded fairly well taking into consideration, the limitations of the human mind.

They entered and found Nasuada studying a map of the immediate area around Ûru'baen. She looked up in surprise when she heard them enter, and then stared strangely at Elva until she realized that it was Elva. Welcome back to the Varden, Eragon and Elva. I hope that your journey here was uneventful?

"You could say that, but we need to talk in private." Eragon replied. "There have been some developments away from the Varden that concerns this up coming battle. Elva, if you please."

Elva cast the spell to ward listeners, and then loosened her guard a little, her shoulders lowered just a fraction, but it was enough to tell Eragon. Elva picked up the story from where Eragon had left off. "First off, we met another rider who had escaped the fall. He had found two others on his way to Ellesmére. Ironically, our teacher had taught this first rider after the fall for a while until a few things happened. First, we will apply names so that it becomes easier to talk, second, we will tell you some things that you cannot tell anyone unless a rider gives you permission.

The first rider's name is Xen; his dragon is an off black grey, meaning that it is a dark shade of grey. He has a sister."

"Who is his sister?" Nasuada abruptly asked as Elva took a breath. "Some one of relevance."

"Before we tell you anymore, you must take the oath." Eragon instructed Nasuada in how to pronounce the words in the ancient language, and then continued after she swore. "His sister is Arya, daughter of the Queen."

"Oh my gosh." Nasuada gasped at this new piece of information.

"Now, after the fall, Xen began to learn how to use the dark magic that Galbatorix was taught, but he remained hidden from Galbatorix because he didn't want to join with him. Arya was younger then, and quite a bit rasher than she is now, and thought that Xen had gone off the deep end, and wanted to join Galbatorix, so she hunted him down, and tried to kill him. She left his motionless body after their duel, thinking he was dead, and returned to Ellesmére and never heard of him until before we went back to the Elves." Eragon left out the part about how Xen had lived through the ordeal, but he quickly skipped again to Lifskul's change, and Murtagh's leaving of Galbatorix. (I really don't want to retype three chapters here so go back and re-read the chapters if you need a quick refresher on what happened in them.) He left out Sâlmir, Saphira's egg and the king of dragons completely.

"Thing's certainly have happened away from here, but I think that you need a little refresher on what has happened here." Nasuada told them about the campaign, and the state of both the Varden and the Empire. She told them that the Uragls were on their way and would arrive any day now. At this point, Eragon told her that the Elves were a couple of days away as well.

"We wanted you to know these things first before the other's arrived so that they wouldn't be attacked, especially Murtagh." Elva finished, "I'll go alert the sentries and a many people as I can find." She left the tent, while Eragon closed his eyes to alert the other riders that it was safe to enter the camp. He left with Nasuada and they walked to the clearing that Saphira and Alíshrä had landed on. A crowd had begun to form there eagerly watching the sky in the direction that Eragon and Elva had come from. After about ten minutes, the audible sound of dragon wings. A huge jarring thud was felt through the ground and the Varden started to look around, trying to find the source of the shock wave. Just then, Lifskul flew up and over a ridge and came into view. Right then, Elva appeared next to Alíshrä. Following Lifskul was Thorn, Zammíren, Saelí, Glaedr, and finally, the dragon king's head appeared, as he walked over the ridge on the ground. It had taken him almost a half-mile or 800 meters to slow down to a walk after he had touched down. Everyone who was flying landed in the clearing amid a roar of applause. Everyone was cheering.

Saphira and Alíshrä walked over to the other dragons, and Ayra immediately pulled out a bundle from Saphira's saddlebag, and laid it in front of Saphira respectfully. No one took notice of this as they looked at Murtagh walk over to Eragon. Some of Dwarves swore outright and drew their axes and swords. They started to approach Murtagh, intending on killing him, no matter what Elva had said. Eragon and Murtagh looked at the on coming dwarves with a skeptical look. Arya and Xen joined them and all three of them faced the dwarves, Murtagh stepped back on step, and allowed the other three to place themselves between him and the dwarves. Yanon and Àshrá saw what was happening, along with Lifskul and Vordëth. The four of them ran over and joined the others. Eragon stepped out and yelled at the dwarves.

"If you attack my brother, you attack all of us." Eragon's words had an immediate effect on the dwarves. They skidded to a halt, as if they had run into an invisible wall. There was a lot of muttering from the humans when they realized that Morzan was also Eragon's father.

Vanír stepped out of the crowd a ways off and helped Sâlmir dismount from the King of Dragon's back. The three of them walked over to where the others were now standing. The King of Dragon's bulk scattered anyone in their way.

By that time, Nasuada had gotten the dwarves under control once more and it was safe for Murtagh. Oromis and Glaedr held back from the front. Zammíren stood protectively by Glaedr's injured side.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shruiken's black bulk slid through the night sky undetected by the human villages that spread out bellow him. On his back, sat an elf, and a human. The human was of course, Galbatorix. He was slung across the saddle in front of the elf, belly resting on the hard leather. They flew on in silence, looking for Her old home, her home before Ûru'baen, Her home before the fall. While they were flying, Shruiken told her about everything that had happened since she had been killed.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nasuada caught herself staring. Saphira's egg was so beautiful. The dragons had formed a large circle around Saphira and her egg. There was a line stretching up to her that started well outside the circle of dragons. Her egg was being presented to the children of the Varden. So far the egg had chosen no one. Eragon and Arya stood with the other riders as the children came forward to touch the egg. Saphira held her child in one paw facing upwards. This allowed for the children to touch it, and also for her to secure it if she felt that was necessary.

Day turned to night, and finally all the children had failed to have the egg hatch for them. Spahira and Lifskul curled up and went to sleep around their egg. Eragon and Arya had a tent to themselves, the others slept in smaller, one person tents. Tomorrow would most likely decide the fate of the land.

**I have finally figured out how I'm going to end this story. It will wrap up everything, and will also entail a little surprise (not the one mentioned at the beginning of the chapie)**

**I just realized something, with two people coming back from the 'dead', my story is seeming to have a little bit of X-men in it. Way, Way too scary.**

**Read and Review!!!**

**I really love people who review.**

**I still want names for that new race**

**I have narrowed down a name for Shruiken's original rider!!**


	30. Chapter 30

**I'm writing this before updating the chapter before.**

**You may have given me names and things that I should really put in here, so I will try to have added them as I read the reviews.**

**Please don't kill me if I made a mistake and left something out. It was not done on purpose.**

**We will finally know the name of Shruiken's rider now, because I've narrowed it down to one name. If you have heard this name elsewhere (not on FanFiction) please don't saw anything…thank you very much.**

**I'm going to try to get this story over with, because my days have gotten a lot more filled. **

**Please review, I cannot express my gratitude to everyone who does. It just makes my day when I see that I have more review, AND hits. It makes me feel like I'm not being ignored. **

**READ AND REVIEW!!!!!!**

_**Now! Stat! Pronto!!**_

Disclaimer:

I don't own anything but the plot and the characters and places that don't appear in Eragon and Eldest.

Chapter 30: Return

As the sun broke over the ridges surrounding the Varden's camp, Eragon and the other riders left their tents and made their way to Nasuada's tent. They arrived one after the other and waited for Nasuada to wake up. Eragon and Murtagh sparred at a gentile pace as to not waste energy that they would need for the impending battle. Arya and Xen talked to one side and Elva and Oromis did the same to another. After a few minutes Nasuada came out of her tent and then beckoned for them to all come inside. Eragon and Murtagh sheathed their swords and followed everyone else inside. Nasuada's tent was very neat and tidy. She had a makeshift desk on one side, and a bed on the other. Her desk was littered with papers and a large map was placed on the top, and center. It showed known Empirial positions, and where the Varden's troops were set, where the trenches were dug, and where the palace was in relation to the parameter walls. Nasuada gestured for the riders to sit in front of her desk, as she sat on the only chair in the tent.

"This battle depends on what damage you riders can inflict on the enemy." Nsauada stated. "If you fall, the Varden falls. If you succeed, the Varden wins. It is as simple as that."

"Not that simple my lady" Oromis replied. "You still have to factor in what Galbatorix may do and his power cannot be under estimated."

"No one here, not even I know his full power or his limits." Murtagh added."

"You were with him for over a year, surly you know his powers." Nasuada replied astonished.

"Ironically, I don't know my own limits, possible because they are endless." Murtagh replied.

"No magician's powers are endless." Nasuada said. "There simply isn't enough energy in a body to have infinite power."

"Who said energy comes from the spell caster's body." Murtagh retorted, clearly annoyed.

"Enough, this isn't helping, and it certainly isn't going to stop Glabatorix." Oromis commanded, stopping the debate. " The fast is, that Galbatorix can only be stopped if the source of the largest portion of his power is taken away."

"Killing Shruiken would kill him. I heard that if a dragon is killed, the rider is as well." Nasuada said aloud.

"That isn't the largest source of his power. "Eragon told Nasuada. "We suspect that aside from Galbatrorix, all of the Forsworn were able to tap into the energy stored in the vault of souls."

"It allows for him to draw on energy from the dead to power his spells. "Murtagh added. "He forced me to have the same power because he wanted me to 'become my father.'"

"Then our battle is an impossible one." Nasuada moaned. "He could do as he pleased to our army."

"Again, you are wrong." Murtagh stated. "I have the power to draw energy from the vault, all I have to do is use up that energy, and he will be fairly weak."

"Weak enough for nine riders to dispose of without too much trouble." Oromis finished quietly."

A cry went out from outside. "Shruiken!!!"

Immediately, the riders raced outside to see Shruiken gliding down from the skies overhead. Murtagh stopped dead for a second, then his eye's widened, and raced past everyone. _No one attack! That isn't Galbatorix! _Murtagh's mental yell got the riders attention. _Surround Shruiken and stop the Varden from attacking. _

They all did just that and by the time they got there, the elf lady had jumped off. Eraogn and Oromis turned to great her. "My name is Aelita, Shruiken's original rider."

"Where is Galbatorix?" Eraogn demanded.

"I had him bound to the saddle, but he managed to free himself and jump clear of my magic. We were overhead Tierm when he jumped." Aelita replied.

"He is still alive then." Oromis said quietly.

"I wouldn't be sure of that." Aelita replied.

"Why, it's most likely that he survived the fall." Eragon replied.

"We were miles above Tierm. I don't think that anyone could have survived the fall even with magic slowing their fall, they would die from the overuse of magic and then plummet to the ground, breaking every bone in the body." Aelita responded.

"Whatever the result of his fall was, this battle must be fought first, before we go after him." Eragon stated.

"We don't have to fight the battle," Aelita replied. "I could use magic to impersonate Galbatorix and make all of his army surrender."

"I will have to go with you, because you don't know how Galbatorix acted." Murtagh suddenly spoke up. "I could be your prisoner. We would be in constant mental contact and so you could then be without a doubt Galbatorix."

"That would work." Oromis stated. "We have to create a mock battle now, Hurry."

And battle they did. But only to fool the empires look outs. Aeltia jumped onto Shruiken and then he took off, grabbing Murtagh with his claws on a swoop down, and then wheeled around and headed to Ûru'baen meanwhile, Aelita was putting on an amazing light battle with the other riders on the ground. A few moments later, every dragon except Glaedr and Vordëth took off. After the flurry of wings, Xen poked his head out of the crowd and made his way to Oromis.

"What did I miss?"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shruiken landed in the center of the palace; let Aelita, now looking like Galbatorix, and Murtagh down, and then jumped back into the sky, chasing after the other dragons. He chased them back to the Varden's camp, spewing fire after them, and then flew to the city, and landed in his home, which was a large cavern underneath the palace. Thorn had joined Shruiken in the chase back, and glided in to the cavern right after Shruiken.

Aelita hustled Murtagh into the palace, and into Galbatorix's private room, which was locked with magic, but Murtagh knew the counter spell.

_Who is the general of the forces? _Aelita asked Murtagh.

_I don't know, but you could just go to the nearest messenger and order them to assemble the commanders of the army and have them meet in the courtyard. _Murtagh replied.

_How do I get a messenger? _Aelita asked.

_We will go down to the treasure room, and I will take a rider's blade, and then go to the wall, and send runners. _Murtagh replied.

_Go do that. _Aelita commanded him. _I will be right behind you. _

_All right. _Murtagh replied. He exited the room followed by Aelita. They walked side by side to the treasure room, where Murtagh cast the spell to allow them to enter. As they entered, Murtagh closed the door behind them. Aelita gasped as she saw the mountains of gold on one side, and a wall covered in rider's blades to another side. An empty pedestal stood on a third side.

"This is where the third egg used to lay before it was transported to Helgrind, and from there, stolen by Eragon." Murtagh gestured to the pedestal. "This wall holds almost all of the rider swords that were ever made. Galbatorix made a habit of collecting them so that when the dragon eggs hatched for a few people under his control, they would use one of these swords. His plan was to get the eggs to mate, and produce more eggs, thus more riders under his control."

"Amazing." Aelita said in a low voice. "I guess that these are the taxes that Galbatorix has collected over the years?"

"Yes." Murtagh answered. "Each coin could possible represent a life taken by Galbatoix or his troops."

Murtagh grabbed a red sword off the wall, and buckled it on. Aelita had on Galbatorix's, which he had stolen from another rider's body.

"Go down and talk with Shruiken for an hour." Murtagh commanded. "Ask Shruiken for directions. In an hour, Come up to the courtyard, and I will hopefully have the commanding officers there."

Each went off in different directions after Murtagh had once again sealed the door.

**Woohoo!**

**Chapter 30 done!!! And 99 reviews now that I have finished writing the chappie.**

**ONLY ONE MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

**I'm really looking forward to the next review. **

**Brownie points to the person who writes the hundredth review!!!!!!!!**

**I hope that this chapter wasn't a bore, but I needed to get it done. **

**Please tell me if you like Xen's last line! ******

**I think that I have finally found a name for that new race, don't consider them out of the picture yet… **

**READ AND REVIEW!!!!**

_**Now! Stat! Pronto!!**_


	31. Chapter 31

**Hi everyone, I just want to take a moment to recognize an author who I think has one of the best fanfics going. Dreamirlhoo is the author of ****The dragon, The rider, and the Werecat Part I and II****. These are must-reads. Be sure to have a lot of time, because part I is almost 60 chapters long.**

**I am just saying this, because her last chapter was one of the best chapters I have ever read.**

**Anyway, I want to thank everyone who has reviewed, especially who has written the 100****th**** review!**

**I know that this whole surrender thing is kind of lame, but I need it to happen for later events.**

**Ironically, I'm watching the movie Eragon right now as I write…it's…**_**interesting.**_

**It skips a lot of events that I thought should have been included. They slaughtered the first 200 pages of the book in about 10 minutes. **

**Over night, I thought up another idea for a quick story that would maybe five chapters long. That comes after this though. I really think that this is a good story considering that it is also my first.**

**I have an interesting question for everyone. Why do we know so little about the Forsworn? You would think that CP would include that kind of detail…**

**READ AND REVIEW!!!!!!**

Disclaimer:

I don't own anything but the plot and the characters and places that don't appear in Eragon and Eldest.

Chapter 31:

Aelita strode down to the cavern where Shruiken and Thorn were, with the help of Shruiken's memories of the castle that he had gleaned over the years from Galbatorix.

With the appearance of Galbatorix, she met no resistance as she descended into the depths of the hill that Ûru'baen was built on. She finally found her way into the cavern, and Shruiken, who lay on one side of it, stayed there as she entered. She shut the door behind her, and walked over to Shruiken's side trying to see if he was alright. She expected him to come leaping to her. _What's wrong?_

_Nothing. _He replied with a yawn. _It's just that I never bound over to Galbatorix like a puppie. He tortured me day and night so that I would submit to his command._

She touched his head with her hand and stroked him. _I'm sorry._

_There is nothing to be sorry about. That was beyond your control. _Shruiken shifted his weight a little, and swept the legs out from under her and placed a scaly leg over her and hummed.

_What was that for? _Aelita asked.

_Nothing. _Shruiken replied, and the two of them sat there for a while.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Murtagh walked out of the palace and made his way to the wall of the city. He had been around Ûru'baen to know his way around the city streets. As he walked, people stared at him and gave him room. Murtagh could feel their fear in the air. No one would dare stop him, not even a guard, for everyone feared the death that he could bring.

He stopped outside a thick wooden door set into the side of the wall, and pushed it open. Once inside, two guards stood to attention. Murtagh walked by them as if they didn't even exist. He strode to a set of spiral stair, and climbed up them a level and then took a left. He strode past more guards and stopped outside a door. He turned the handle, and entered. Inside a man was sitting behind a desk writing furiously. "Yes?"

"The King requires every officer in the army to assemble at the palace." Murtagh told the man.

"So? I really don't feel like doing that. The Varden could attack any minute now, and I need my officers here and now if they do." The man replied.

"Do you thing that the king couldn't stop them if he wanted to?" Murtagh asked while drawing his sword.

"N-N-No sir." The man stuttered.

"Be there with your men in a half hour." Murtagh commanded as he strode out.

Murtagh had to admit that it felt good to be back, back in charge, able to get people to do what he wanted…He walked up onto the wall top and stared out at the far camp that surrounded the city, just out of range of the city's weapons.

_Are you ready? _Murtagh asked Eragon who was hovering miles above the city on top of Saphira.

_Yes. _Came back Eragon's reply.

"Sir" came a frightened voice from behind him. "The King wishes to see you in the castle at once."

"Yes, of course." Murtagh strode past the messenger without anything else said. He walked on and made his way to the palace, where he saw a line of officers in front of the gate. He walked right past them, and used magic to leap over the wall, which was 30 feet (9 meters or so) high. Once inside the walls, he made his way to Galbatorix's private chambers. As he entered, he felt some one's mind from behind the door. And quickly disarmed, and pinned the person against the far wall. "Who the hell are you."

The person said nothing. Murtagh conjured a ball of flames in his right hand and held it threateningly. In the light, he was able to make out soft features on the person's face, and he realized that his prisoner was a woman. _Girl _he corrected himself as the person that stood before him looked to be about 16 to 18 years old.

"You don't have to do that Murtagh." Aelita disguised as Galbatorix said from the entrance.

"Is she in here on your orders M'lord?" Murtagh asked.

"No."

"Then how do you know she isn't an assassin?" Murtagh demanded.

"Do you dare think that I would allow this pathetic girl to kill me?" Aelita demanded.

"No M'lord." Muragh replied quietly.

"Come Murtagh, I must address the officers of my army." Aelita swept out of the room with Murtagh walking a step behind her. The wound through the twisting passageways of the castle and stopped on a balcony about one floor above the courtyard floor.

Murtagh felt a mind brush his ever so slightly. If he wasn't a rider and rigidly trained in defending his mind, he would never have noticed it. The touch lasted for les than a second. Murtagh left Aelita's side, and stalked down to the courtyard to see if he could find the person.

He walked right under Aelita and stood in the shadow from the balcony. "Hello Murtagh…That's a nice imitation of me that your friend is putting on up there." A cold harsh voice from the shadows made Murtagh's heart race for a brief second.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Eragon, the riders and all the Varden's magicians gathered with the dragons in the center of the Vanden camp. All together, they took control of the sentries along the wall top and had them completely ignore the Varden's troops, which were marching with the Urgal nation towards the city wall.

At the last moment, the dragons ferried the magicians to the army, and let them join the ranks. Finally, with only a few sentries to guard the camp, riders took off and flew low over the ground to help avoid detection. The all flew upwards in unison, flying high above the city, creating chaos in the streets. People ran for shelter thinking that the dragons would destroy them all.

The soldiers in their barracks scrambled to put on their armor and grab their weapons.

At that precise moment, the Varden tore though the gates and marched through the streets ignoring the terrified people who cowered in corners. The systematically entered each house, searched it for soldiers, and then left, with minimal damage to the family's belongings. They made their way slowly through the streets quietly and surrounded the castle in the heart of the city. From within there was the sound of fighting, but no one could enter for there was magical protection on the gates, that killed anyone who touched them. All the riders landed outside the castle and were just about to destroy the wards on the gates when they burst open and emitted hundreds of confused and panicked officers, all of whom were quickly captured by the Varden. Inside was pure chaos. Murtgh and what appeared to be two Galbatorixs were fighting with magic and swords. One Galbatorix was thrown to the far side of the courtyard where he started to glow, and slowly Aelita's features were restored to her body and she lay there unconscious. Murtagh and Galbatorix stood in the center of the courtyard dueling. Murtagh had countless cuts on him from where Galbatorix's blade had hit him. With a leap, Galbatorix dodged a slash from Murtagh and stabbed him right in the gut. Murtagh cried out in pain and fell to his knees, and slowly crumpled to the ground.

"So it ends Murtagh, son of my friend." Galbatorix whispered to him.

"NOOO!" Eragon screamed. He struggled to break past the crowd of officers running about.

**Bwahahahahaha**

**I'm so evil. **

**Will Murtagh die? Will he live?**

**The answer lies in the next chapter.**

**Just review. I know Murtagh is like a super cool character, but I may just have to knock him off.**

**READ AND REVIEW!!!!!**

**I finished the Movie, and it **

**STINKS!!!!!!!!!!!!**

**I'd love to throttle the directors (not CP because we all need to read the third book.) **

**The thing seems like it could use a person who actually read the book. It ****slaughters ****the plot, combining Plot events from several CITIES into one TOWN.**

**ERGH I wish that I didn't even borrow it from the library.**

**Oh and whoever said that Arya's ears aren't pointed, they are wrong, If you look closely, you will see that they are a little pointy. **

**DON'T EVER SEE IT IF YOU WISH TO LIVE A NORMAL LIFE!!!!!**

**EVER!!!!!!!!!**


	32. Chapter 32

**Hi all…**

**I have a little announcement to make:**

**ELDERS IS SOON TO BE AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE FOR DOWNLOAD/COPY!!!!!**

**After the final chapter, I will have another chapter with all of the chapters on it so that anyone can have a copy of Elders.**

**On a related note to the time of the year, I hope that everyone is as excited about school as I am. **

**Particularly the part of school where it is a Friday and just seconds away from the bell to let you **

**FREE!!!!!!!**

**Really, that is the best part of the school day…**

**Anyway I have left you off with a serious cliffhanger **

**Will Murtagh die?**

**Will He live?**

**Only time will tell. **

**I am sorry for all those Murtagh fans that have to read this.**

**I would really hate it too if some one killed off Arya. (Not the horrible movie one, but the one portrayed in the books.) She is probably, in my opinion, the best character from the books, but I would have to say that Brom was pretty good too…**

**Arya is not the best b/c of the whole beauty thing.**

**READ AND REVIEW**

**I say that a lot and I mean it. **

**Recently there have been chapters with only 2-3 reviews. **

**I WANT MORE IMPUT!!!!!!**

Disclaimer:

I don't own anything but the plot and the characters and places that don't appear in Eragon and Eldest.

Chapter 32:

Murtagh withered on the ground with Galbatorix standing over him. Eragon watched helpless to do anything as the crowd of panicked officers pushed him away from his dieing brother.

Arya and Elva watched horrified as Thorn fell from the sky limp as a rag. Glaedr shuddered. It had been years since he had scene that happen. But their attention on Thorn was quickly shifted as an explosion tore apart Murtagh. Eragon just stared stupidified at the scene. Galbatorix had been heaved towards Aelita by the explosion and he promptly engaged her after landing lightly near her.

No where in the chaos was there any chance to move into a position to help Aelita. Oromis stood by Thorn, trying to see if he was alive. When he found no sign of life, he left to join the battle. Aelita battled Galbatorix in a far corner of the courtyard, and was continually losing ground. She managed to keep from being cornered, which was a good for her because if she got cornered, she would probably die. Aragon finally made his way to where the explosion had occurred, and gaped at the torn bits of Murtagh's clothes. He fell on his knees and a tear fell form his face. Only one. Aelita was backpedaling towards him and as they came close, Eragon looked up, Grabed his swords and attacked Galbatorix recklessly screaming in rage. Aelita took the opportunity to get away and let someone else take her place. Eragon battled with Galbatorix alone for a minute until he let an opening form after lunging too far. It was Galbatorix needed. In one fluid motion, he disarmed Eragon and placed his sword on Eragon's collarbone.

"Yeild." Galbatorix commanded Eragon.

Eragon started to sweat uncontrollably and fell to his knees utterly flabbergasted.

"Get up." Galbatorix commanded again.

"You're going to kill me." Eragon muttered as he stood up.

"Now why would I do that?" Galbatorix asked. "Do you think that the riders were good and great?"

Eragon nodded yes and then glared at him. "You betrayed the riders. The riders had been keeping the peace for thousands of years, and you just killed them."

"I take it that a rider and the elves told you that." Gabatorix said.

"Yes." Eragon replied glaring daggers at Galbatorix.

It was then that shouts from behind Eragon made Galbatorix look up. "If you know what is good, stay where you are." Galbatorix smiled, obviously pleased that the riders did as he told them."

"Hello Oromis." Galbatorix said still smiling. "It has been so long since we last met. Would you please Thorn in here?"

"Now Oromis. I understand that Morzan did something to you while you were imprisoned all those years ago." Galbatorix stated.

"Release Eragon." Oromis commanded.

"In a few minutes. I have a few things to do first." Galbatorix replied.

"Like what? Kill me like you did Murtagh?" Eragon yelled at him.

"Goodness. Do you thing he is dead?" I can't believe you didn't teach him this Oromis, really. You can't tell a magical image from a living being?"

"What?" Eragon exclaimed.

"I knocked out Murtagh out ages ago before you got here." Galbatorix spoke in the ancient language. "He is in the infirmary recovering right now." Galbatorix was now looking at Eragon. "I made the image of him fighting me in order to attract all of you." He said to all the riders. "I wanted you to get mad so that you would fight me recklessly. Once the opportunity presented itself to me, I disarmed you to gain a hostage."

"Without a highly valued hostage, I would have to fight, and maybe kill some of your friends." Galbatroix spoke to Eragon.

"Oromis, my fight is only with you." Galbatorix said raising his voice. "It's not really a fight, but you would call it that."

"What do you want?" Oromis spoke harshly.

"Only to help you." Galbatorix replied.

"What do you mean help?" Oromis asked. "All you have done is destroy."

"On my word as a rider I will not harm anyone here if you allow me to help you." Galbatorix replied.

"Fine." Oromis said coming forward.

"Stand still." Galbatorix commanded as Oromis came within a sword length.

Oromis did, and Galbatorix raised his hand, and spoke a string of words that baffled everyone. It wasn't the ancient language, but it controlled magic. Eragon's eyes widened a little, but aside from that, stood calmly with Galbatorix's blade at his neck.

The spell only took a minute, but it seemed like forever. After it was over, Oromis fell to his knees for a little while and then stood.

"I thank you Galbatorix." Oromis said, shocking everyone. "You have lifted my curse."

"I would never leave anyone that I thought highly of in pain." Galbatorix replied.

Someone left the castle and came out onto the courtyard. It was a man, well built, however, looked to me in his early thirties. NO one noticed this except Galbatorix. He beckoned to the man to come and then faced the riders. I would like you to meat a very good friend of mine. The man came to Galbatorix's side. He was wearing Zar'oc.

"Who are you?" Eragon demanded.

A dragon roared nearby. And Eragon looked up into the sky and say a red dot growing bigger. A giant red dragon floated overhead.

"Morzan, Have you met Eragon?"

**AhahaHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA**

**I love having the power to do what I want in this story…**

**Review if you like this.**

**I know it is a short chapter, but I got writer's block and school has started.**

**NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO**

**I have come across an author that really deserves to be read.**

**The quality of writing, in my opinion, if far, far better than Cp's. **

**That's right, it's the truth. **_**I have never read anything close to that caliber of writing out side of a published, printed book.**_

**Read and Review their work. It gets a little tough in some areas to read because the plot may twist in a way that you don't want to, but you have to just plow through it and find the hidden treasures.**

**There is almost an entire series that deals with Galbatorix and it is very, very interesting.**

**Be warned. All of the stories are incredibly long. One story, I would venture to say is close to 600 PAGES long in 12 point font…It is taking me forever to read it, yet it is honestly better than Eragon and Eldest.**


	33. Chapter 33

**I know that the last chapter was short.**

**I have kinda ignored the whole Eragon-Arya relationship. I know that I cannot write a love scene to save my life. **

**I like the number of reviews that I have been getting recently.**

**I am sorry for not updating for a long time, but I have had a lot of schoolwork and projects to do. I should have anticipated it with two honors courses.**

**Any way, I just realized that I didn't tell you who the author that I was talking about in the last chapter. The user name if ophix the singer or something like that. Just search SKADE, and you should be able to find all of those great stories. **

**READ AND REVIEW!!!!!!!!**

Disclaimer:

I don't own anything but the plot and the characters and places that don't appear in Eragon and Eldest.

Chapter 33:

"I don't believe we have met young rider." Morzan spoke. His voice was low, yet there seemed to be a hint of gentleness in it. He looked old. His hair was white, his face a little wrinkled, but his eyes were gleaming with life.

"Brom told me that he killed you." Eragon snarled.

"He left me for dead beside Flar (pronounced fl and then 'are' the ar.). He took Zar'oc from me. I was almost dead. If a soldier magician had not found me, and healed me, I would not have lived to see this day." Morzan told Eragon.

"Eragon, Go with Morzan and go see how Murtagh is." Glabatorix commanded him.

"Why should I trust and obey you?" Eragon asked.

"Take anyone with you want." Galbatorix replied. "No matter what oaths we take, you wouldn't trust us. Take who ever you want with you so that you will feel protected."

"I want your oaths first." Eragon demanded.

"Fine." Morzan said, then adopting the ancient language, "I will do everything in my power to prevent you from being harmed by anyone."

"I will not attack you if you don't attack me" Galbatorix said in the ancient language.

"Alright." Eragon said, as Galbatorix removed his sword. "Arya, Xen, can you come here?" They did, and then they followed Morzan into the castle."

"I'm glad that Eragon has learned the most important lesson in life." Oromis suddenly spoke.

"What do you mean by that?" Galbatorix asked.

"He has finally learned that humans are inferior to elves." Oromis stated calmly.

That shocked everyone. No one moved for a second, and then Saphira launched herself at Oromis, knocking him down. She did no more because Glaedr protected the old elf and batted Saphira away from his rider. Inside, Eragon felt her pain. He stopped up short, causing Xen to nearly bash into him from behind. Morzan turned. Eragon's face told him everything that he needed to know. "Come. Something has happened."

"Outside was chaos. Lifskul was attacking Oromis, while Glaedr chased Saphira away from the city. Vordéth was trying to restrain Lifskul in order to keep him from hurting Oromis too much. Glabatorix, Aelita, Yanon, Àshrá, and Elva all had their swords drawn, and were in a circle around Oromis. Shruiken launched himself into the air and went after Glaedr and Saphira. Flar joined him and the two of them disappeared into the horizon flying low and fast.

"What is going on here?" Morzan demanded when they got to the circle of riders.

"Oromis said that all humans are inferior to elves." Elva told them, gripping her sword even tighter.

"What! Why would you say that?" Arya asked.

"Because it is true." Oromis rasped. "No human can best an elf in any kind of competition."

"I would like to put that to the test." Galbatorix said standing forward.

"As you wish traitor." Oromis replied, and launched himself at Glabatorix in a blaze of furry. But he never got there. Eragon neatly cloths lined him with an arm and rested his swords on Oromis's neck.

"I don't think so." Eragon snarled. But Oromis never heard him. He was in a coma. His head had hit the stone with almost enough force to split open his skull. He was taken up to the infirmary, and was laid down in a room far away from Murtagh. His sword was taken away from him, and Galbatorix gave him the magic suppressing drug, and as a precaution, locked that portion of his mind, so that no matter what Oromis did, he wouldn't be able to use magic.

Everyone was around Murtagh's bed when he woke up.

"How do you feel?" Eragon asked.

"Sore." He croaked.

"I would be surprised if you didn't feel like that." Glabatorix said.

"Wha…what are you doing here? Eragon?" Murtagh looked around confused at the riders around his bed.

"Galbatorix was not our enemy. Oromis was. All he wanted was to use us to achieve his goals." Eragon told Murtagh.

"Is Thorn okay?" Murtagh asked.

"He is fine. He never left the cave before you were knocked out." Morzan spoke up.

"Father."

"Yes son?"

Murtagh never replied. He had fallen asleep.

"We should let him rest." Elva said.

"Yes, there are important matters to take care of." Eragon stated.

"Oh, I almost forgot." Arya replied.

"How could we forget the egg?" Xen asked as he slapped his forehead.

"You have a dragon egg?" Galbatorix asked?

"It's Saphira and Lifskul's" Elva told the King.

"It didn't hatch for any of the elves." Galbatorix murmured.

"That's right." Eragon replied.

"Well, lets start parading the children of the city before it." Morzan suggested.

"Alright." Galbatorix said "We will all be able to handle the egg without it hatching for us since we are all riders."

They all left Murtagh sleeping, and went out into the open courtyard. Saphira and Lifskul were sleeping side by side. The egg was unseen. Eragon woke Saphira up, and she passed him the egg gently from where it was sitting between the two dragons.

_Where is the presentation going to be made?_ Saphira asked.

_If you want, it can happen right here. _Eragon replied.

_That would be wonderful. _Lifskul replied.

_I'll tell the others. _Eragon told them.

It was a quick trip up to the library where Eragon found everyone reading. "I have the egg." Eragon announced.Immediately they put down their books and even the librarian, who was curious, came over. They gasped at the yellow surface and stared at it. Galbatorix lifted it up, and examined it from all angles.

"I have never seen an egg this perfect." He said quietly. "Normally an egg will have a minor, barely noticeable, deformation. For example, Thorn's egg had a slight indent running along one of the veins and Saphira's egg had a flatter bottom than most eggs."

"Why are they like that?" Arya asked.

"I think it has something to do with the birth." Morzan answered.

"NO…No this can't be happening." Galbatorix yelled as the egg started to shutter. Thin cracks formed along each of the egg's veins and squeaks sounded from inside it.

"What?" Eragon stammered.

"It chose you?" Xen exclaimed.

"But you were already bonded to another dragon." Elva commented, puzzled.

Glabatorix placed the egg on the table and collapsed into a chair. He put his hands over his face for a moment.

A few minutes latter, the yellow hatchling emerged from its egg and wobbled around the table on its shaky legs. It let out a puff of smoke and curled up into a ball and fell asleep in the middle of its broken egg.

"How…what…" Eragon didn't know what to say.

"Did anyone else but you touch it on your way up here?" Morzan asked.

"No." Eragon replied. "No one dared approach me."

"Did any one touch it at all since it left the Du Weldenvarden?' Morzan asked again.

"No. It was presented to all the elves, but it didn't hatch in the days that followed." Eragon answered.

"So then it must have hatched for Galbatorix, or it is a wild dragon." Arya spoke up.

"But the spell?" Eragon asked. "The spell would have made it only hatch for the one who it felt would be its rider."

"There is no spell." Galbatorix croaked.

"What?" Elva asked.

"There is no spell. It was a string of nonsense words in the ancient language." Galbatorix replied.

"But you acted as if you thought that the dragon was hatching for you." Xen commented.

"I am the only one here without a dragon." Galbatorix explained. "I thought that it might have hatched for me."

"It has been a long day so far." Eragon announced. "We should get some sleep."

"I don't really have any place for you to sleep." Galbatorix began. "I'm sorry."

"It doesn't matter. We can all sleep with our partners." Elva said.

"Go and rest well. You can come in and out of here when ever you like." Galbatorix declaired. "My home is yours."

"Thank you Glabatorix." Yanon murmured as he left the room.

Galbatorix watched them go. Eragon stayed and moved to pick up the yellow hatchling, but the hatchling snapped at him. It woke up the instant Eragon had touched its flank. It trundled over to Galbatorix, climbed up on his shoulder, and dug its claws into his shirt. _Galkix._ (gal, kicks) It said before falling asleep again. No bond was formed, nothing happened to it.

"I guess it's a wild dragon." Eragon said.

"It would indeed seem that way." Galbatorix replied. "Sleep well."

**Ok, I kinda like this chapter**

**My new favorite character in this story is the widdle hatchling…sooo cute in my mind…**

**Ahem. (author looks away slightly embarrassed.)**

**Anyway, I don't need a name for it, I have one in my mind already.**

**If anyone is wondering if Morzan knows that Eragon is his son, he does. Galbatorix tells him, but I really didn't feel like putting it in.**

**I have quite a bit to do in terms of plot next chapter, so I look forward to writing a lot more…I hope my teachers will lay off on the homework…**

**READ AND REVIEW!!!!**

**Or the little hatching dies…**

**) HAHAHAHA**

**I won't really do that, I just would like reviews, that's all.**


	34. Chapter 34

**Ok all**

**I'm trying to update kinda fast. I would like to finish this story. It has been hanging over my head for almost half a year.**

**I hope you like this chapter. **

**I'm going to throw another one of my little twists into this chapter (I hope, if this gets that far.)**

**READ AND REVIEW!!!!!!!!**

Disclaimer:

I don't own anything but the plot and the characters and places that don't appear in Eragon and Eldest.

Chapter 34:

Galbatorix walked slowly to his room with the hatchling on his shoulder. No one even came near him. If they saw him coming they ducked into a passageway or door, or if those weren't available, they turned and went back the way that they came.

He entered his room, sealed the door with magic, and sat on his bed. He detached the hatchling from his shoulder and placed it on a table by his window. He climbed onto his bed, and watched the dragon breath in and out until he fell asleep.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Eragon and Arya walked slowly out of the library and made their way to Lifskul and Saphira. They both settled down in front of their partners, and slept in the open.

When morning came, Eragon woke up first and noted how high the sun was.

_Good morning little one._ Saphira said.

_Did you sleep well? _Eragon asked.

_You could say that._ She replied.

_What's wrong? _Eragon asked again.

_Well, I would like to know where my son is. _She replied.

_He is with Galbatorix. _Eragon replied. _He chose to go with him. He snapped at me when I tried to pick him up to bring him back to you._

_Who did he bond to? Galbatorix? _Saphira asked.

_No one. _Eragon replied.

_Wild…_Saphira murmered.

"Hey Eragon, are you going to get up?" Arya asked him as she stood above him.

"I don't know." Eragon replied. "I'm kinda sore from yesterday's fighting."

"We have to go see Murtagh." Arya said. "He is your brother, and you do have a duty to make sure that he is okay."

"Ok, ok." Eragon moaned and he stood up.

Arya kissed him quickly and then they walked off to the infirmary.

_Why do you think our son chose to be wild? _Lifskul asked.

_I have no idea._ Saphira replied.

_He is now under the king's rule. _Lifskul commented

_He chose his life, and we cannot change that. _Saphira replied.

Lifskul sighed.

_What's wrong? _Saphira asked.

_I don't know… _Lifskul replied. _I just wished he had hatched for a rider._

_Why? _Saphira asked, shocked.

_I don't know, it's just something in my gut that wishes that he did. _Lifskul answered.

Saphira snuggled closer to him and put her head right next to his. They enjoyed a few seconds of silence before Shruiken flew just a few feet above them at high speed. A moment later, Flar did the same thing. Both dragons twisted, climbed, dived, and chased each other through the skies above Ûru'baen. With their size and mass, they were just cannonballs with wings flying above the city.

_Boys, slow down, you're going to kill someone. _Saphira scolded.

_We are just playing around. _Whined Flar.

_There is nothing wrong with having a little fun is there? _Shruiken asked.

_Take it outside the city if you want to speed. _Saphira commanded.

_But then there isn't the fun of scaring people, and avoiding buildings. _Shruiken complained.

_Don't blame me when you break your wing completely in half. _Saphira said indifferently.

_Curses you know how to ruin the fun don't you. _Flar said as he pulled out of a turn to follow Shruiken closer to the ground.

_Catch me if you can! _Shruiken cried as he flew almost straight up over the city wall and continued to climb into the sky.

_Hatchlings…_Saphira grumbled to Lifskul.

_Hey, I don't blame them for trying to have a bit of fun. The last few years of their lives weren't exactly the best. _Lifskul replied. _Besides, it's great exercise._

_Bet you that you can't catch me. _Saphira said rising to her feet, and the two of them took off and began to fly.

_You're on. _Lifskul replied grinning.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Eragon and Arya entered Murtagh's room, they found him wide-awake.

"What took you so long?" He asked them with a smile.

"Lazy bones didn't get up until a few minutes ago." Replied Arya.

"And to think that I woke up at the crack of dawn in order to spar with you." Murtagh said grumpily

"You did?" Eragon asked.

"Naw, I'm just kidding. The healers here wouldn't let me out of here…Infernal prison." Murtagh replied.

"Well you need your rest don't you?" Arya asked.

"Huh. Tell that to Thorn." Murtagh replied. "He has been telling me to go outside and fly with him for hours."

"Well fresh air would probably do you some good." A healer said as she entered.

"Sweet!" Murtagh cried. And jumped out of bed, ran to the door and dashed outside before anyone could say anything else.

_Thorn where are you? _Murtagh asked. _I can finally come and fly with you._

_That's awesome. I'll meet you in the courtyard. There is a serious game of catch the big old black dragon going on up here, wanna join? _Thorn replied

_Sure, you got the saddle?_ Murtagh asked.

_I've had it on all morning so we could get going as soon as you got outside. _Thorn replied.

_Who is chasing Shruiken? _Murtagh asked.

_Flar, Vordéth, and Alíshrä_. Thorn replied.

Murtagh bust out into the courtyard swung himself up onto the saddle, and Thorn took off. They quickly joined the game of chase and accelerated to catch up with the incredible speed of Shruiken. Saphira and Lifskul joined in a little while later, and the skies became crowded with flashing dragon scales. At the end of an hour, Shruiken was finally caught when Alíshrä nipped him in the tail. Thorn landed once again in the courtyard and Murtagh stumbled to the ground.

_That was the most fun I have had in years. _Murtagh told Thorn.

_That took a lot out of me. _Thorn admitted. _But it was well worth it._

_I'm glad. _Murtagh replied. _I have to get back to the infirmary to get a quick dose of medicine and then I will see if I can get some sleep in a proper bed._

_Go and sleep. _Thorn replied. _Don't forget to get something to eat._

_I'll go down to the kitchens and get some bread and cheese. _Murtagh told him.

Murtagh went and got the bread and cheese, and made his way to his room where he promptly fell asleep after a quick meal.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Eragon and Arya spent the day in the library reading through the huge number of books about the years of Galbatorix's reign. They did this to get up to date on what had actually happened. It was surprising the number of times Galbatorix himself had gone and helped out a town or city with a sickness or famine.

They had felt the joy emanating from Saphira and Lifskul as they flew around the sky above the city. Together they felt whole and when they were apart, they felt a part of themselves missing. It was an odd feeling, but they knew that it had come from their relationship.

Galbatorix had invited all the riders to dinner that night, so Eragon and Arya left the library around 5 o'clock to get ready. They walked all the way out to the Varden camp to change and then They hitched a ride with Yanon as he headed back for the dinner.

**OK, I know that this kinda ends in the middle of things, but I want to get these chapter out fast, so I am cutting back on the pages. **

**I didn't get to the twist as you can probably tell. **

**Just a hint, it will happen at the dinner, so be ready!!!**

**I have been trying to read many fanfics and reviewing them. If you have found a good one, tell me the name and author in a review so everyone can read and review other peoples hard work.**

**Read AND Review!!!!**

**PLEASE!!!!!!**

**(Author gets on knees and begs readers)**

**REVIEW!!!!!!!**


	35. Chapter 35

**Ok all.**

**I have been saying quick chapters, and I mean it.**

**I hope to have out a chapter or two a week if I'm lucky. But, defiantly a chapter a week.**

**I hope that the school year is going well for everyone. It is that time of year, I know, and if you don't have to go to school, you are really, ****really**** lucky.**

**School has to be the most tedious thing that a younger person has to do.**

**Anyway, I hope to have some more EragonArya in this chapter, and also the great twist!!!! I hope that this is kinda my own idea…I hope.**

**READ AND REVIEW!**

**It is always understated by every author out there. **

**It is disappointing to see thousands of hits to a chater and only have like 2 reviews. You're like, "Ah man!!!"**

**It is really only the reviews that have kept me going this long. I am winding down to the end of this story, I only have a few more chapters to write. Really. This should end with a bang though. I cannot wait to write it!!!!**

**READ AND REVIEW!!!!!!!!**

Disclaimer:

I don't own anything but the plot and the characters and places that don't appear in Eragon and Eldest.

Chapter 35:

Galbatorix wore a plain black tunic with silver colored collar. He sat on a seat the same height as the other seats on a fairly long table. Galbaroix had long ago had the dining hall on the top of the castle. It was possible to open the huge doors that lead to the outside to allow dragons to enter, or just stick their heads in. Outside was the dragon roost for special purposes like when Galbatorix had members of the Forsworn over for meals. It was, however, too exposed to the elements to be a permanent roost.

One by one the new riders came in, only a few minutes apart from each other, until all of the seats were full. Lastly, the yellow hatchling wobbled its way into the room. When the hatchling saw Saphira, it squeaked and hurried over to her. They nuzzled for a moment, and then the hatchling repeated the same thing with Lifskul. At last, it walked over to Galbatroix and hopped up onto the table in front of him. It curled up its tail and snapped up a peace of meat that was placed too close, and seemingly went to sleep.

"When all the Forsworn were alive, we used to all enjoy meals together." Galbatorix started. "I wish for you to all enjoy this one as we once used to."

"I know that elves don't eat meat, so I had a few vegetarian dishes prepared." He continued. "If you wish to eat meat, there is also some here." He paused for a moment. "I have discovered something about this hatchling last night." He suddenly had everyone's attention, even the dragons. "As you may have recalled, last night was the first full moon of this season."

"So?" asked Xen who was sitting two seats down on the left.

"Have you ever head of weredragons?" Galbatorix asked.

"But that is a myth!" Yanon exclaimed.

"They are real." Galbatorix told them. "Saphira and Lifskul produced a weredragon."

"But how?" Eragon asked.

"It may have had something to do with the curse placed upon Lifskul." Galbatorix replied. "Do not feel bad Xen, weredragons are extremely powerful. Their magic is some of the oldest and best magic there ever was in this land." Galbatorix brought out a book and placed it on the table. "This book was from before Vrael was born. This is from the 100th year of the riders rule, while the first Eragon was still alive."

"How did you find out that the hatchling is a weredragon?" asked Murtagh.

"I woke up last night around two hours before dawn. I looked to make sure the hatchling was safe, and I saw a little girl with blond hair, yellow, dragonish eyes, and pointed teeth where the hatchling was. My door was locked with magic that no hatchling could undo, and there was no one else in my room. When the sun rose, the girl slowly transformed into a dragon." Galbatorix told them. "I went down to the library immediately after that. I let the hatchling come with me, and I read through the old records of the riders and discovered what the hatchling was. A weredragon."

Silence reigned in the room, only the dragon's breathing could be heard. The hatchling woke up and looked at Glabatorix for a moment. _Should I do it?_

_I think that it would be a good idea._ Galbatorix replied. _They really don't believe me._

_They think your mad Galkiks. _The hatchling replied. _I'll do it._

"I swear that what you are about to see has had no influence of my magic." Galbatorix swore in the ancient language.

_Do it. _He told the hatchling.

The yellow hatchling began to glow and slowly turned into the small girl that Galbatorix had described. This time, her hair was jet mack, and her eyes the color of Saphira's scales.

"Weredragons have the ability to change their human appearance however they like." Galbatorix continued. "That is all I have to say."

There was silence for a while until the girl transformed back into the hatchling. It again curled up and went to sleep.

"Why did this happen?" Arya asked.

"Quite possibly my curse on Lifskul." Xen answered.

"I thought that all the curse did was change Lifskul's color." Elva said.

"What curse was this?" Galbatorix asked.

"I used Elva to curse Lifskul into becoming black." Xen replied.

"You did that in the ancient language?" Galbatorix asked unbelieving.

"No." Eragon replied.

"What?" Galbatorix asked.

"The language of shades." Yanon said in an undertone.

"Now that is more like it." Galbatorix said joyfully. "Someone who will actually use the Thyprên! (remember all the way back in chapter 17? The shade's language.) I can remember when I first used it."

"Why did you use it?" Morzan asked.

"Durza was annoying me." Galbatorix replied. "I am in a way, glad he is dead. He was rather a bother to control."

"So why did you curse Lifskul?" Morzan asked.

"Long story short, she tried to kill me, thought she did, I recovered, and extracted a little revenge." Xen replied. "It kinda backfired thou. I wanted to hurt her a little, but she actually liked it, because it changed the color of her magic to black."

"Watch it." Arya commanded, "I might have to use some of that über (awesome, cool, neat) black magic on you."

"Where is that girl who was riding the King?" Morzan asked.

"The one Galbaorix raped?" Eragon asked, "I dunno."

"Ok, that was not what happened." Galbatorix began to explain himself. "It was the magical image again. Some weak magician tried to imitate me to infiltrate the castle so he could kill me. Luckly I got him first."

"That magic image thing is really a good excuse." Said a voice from behind Galbatorix. It was a cool, calm and collective. "But none the less, I am thankful that your plan went well."

"What is this Sàlmir?" Eragon asked. "What plan?"

"You see, when we um… did it, we both knew that it wasn't safe for me to be here." Sàlmir told the riders. "So he taught me how to change my memories so that someone would not be able to see that really happened."

"She would be safe with the elves." Galbatorix continued. "I have many enemies here and if anyone found out that I had maybe gotten her pregnant, her life would have been at risk because people would have rioted. I haven't had a queen and this would have been a shock to everyone."

No one spoke for a while until Sàlmir's son tugged on her hand and asked." Can I go see uncle Murtagh?"

"Yes dear." Sàlmir replied. And she watched her son trundle over to Murtagh and climb up onto his lap with a hand from Murtagh.

"Well, that solves that bit of nasty work." Arya said to Galbatoirx, "But why did you just lie to us?"

"I didn't know that Sàlmir was behind me." Galbatorix replied. "I was lying to you because I didn't want anyone to find out that we were in love."

"But you are almost five times older than her!" Arya exclaimed.

"Look at yourself and Eragon." Morzan retorted. Arya blushed.

"But we won't grow old and wither away." Arya replied. "Since the change, he is more elf than human at times."

"That is true." Galbatorix replied. "But I am not a rider anymore. I will die sooner or later now that I don't have Shruiken anymore."

_You treated me well Galbatorix, I will be there for you when you need me. _Shruiken said so that everyone could hear him.

Everyone dug in after that, laughter resounded from the dining hall, and it scared everyone that went by it. It had been years since that sound could be heard from the King.

Off on the horizon the sun set peacefully, but from the north, a cloud of dust rose leagues away.

**Ok, kinda a mini cliffhanger here, but I have maybe one or two chapters until this story is over!!!**

**Then you can find out how this is going to end. I love the ideas that I have…)**

**Now, I hope that everyone could follow along fairly well, and if anyone has a question, don't hesitate to ask, other people probably have the same question as you do.**

**Lol. I sound like a teacher…**

**Curses.**

**Anwway, after the final chapter, I will have a final chapter or two depending on the file size, that will just be the story so that everyone can just copy it into a word file and be able to read Elders without having to get on the internet again!**

**I am doing this because I have loved other stories and have copied the entire story into a document so I can read it when I want without the Internet.**


	36. Ending

**Hi all, I have been taken to reading several fanfics lately so I am a little far behind in writing...**

**I think that this will be the last chapter, so be ready for a message at the end...**

**'nough said.**

**READ AND REVIEW**

**For all those French speakers, **

**laisser un review s'il-vous-plait.**

**OK too the story!!!!**

Disclaimer:

I don't own anything but the plot and the characters and places that don't appear in Eragon and Eldest.

Chapter 36

"Eragon, Wake up!" Arya yelled.

"Wha...What's going on?" Eragon mumbled.

"My mom is outside the city wall demanding to see you." Arya replied.

"Why?" Eragon asked.

"I think that we forgot to tell her about Galbatorix not being truly evil." Arya replied.

"Shoot, I bet she's mad." Eragon said.

"You bet she is!" Arya replied. "She was screaming at the Varden guards."

While getting filled in on what had already happened that morning, Eragon dressed, and ate quickly before running to Saphira and climbing on. They took off quickly and found practically the entire elvin nation camped outside the city walls.

_They arrived last night on their horses._ Saphira told him.

_Where is Murtagh?_ He asked.

_With the elves trying to calm them down, but it doesn't seem to be working_. Saphira replied.

_Ok, we will need Galbatorix, Shruiken, Xen, Arya, Your daughter, Aelita, and... Who else?_ Eragon listed the names to Saphira, who called them to the elves.

_I don't think that it would hurt to have Elva there as well_. Saphira suggested.

_Just get everyone_. Eragon replied.

_Ok. But do you think that Morzan would be a good idea?_ Saphira asked.

_Not immediately_. Eragon replied.

They landed in the middle of the camp, and were quickly surrounded by elves with swords and bows drawn.

"Put down your weapons at your feet." One of them commanded.

"Why?" Eragon asked. "What have I done wrong?"

"That is for the queen to tell you." Another answered."

"Don't you know?" Eragon asked again.

"No." a third said, "But you will have to unarm yourself before entering her presence."

"I think not." Eragon said firmly. "I will not attack the queen or harm her here today in this camp, if she doesn't attack me of any rider." Eragon finished in the ancient language. "Happy?"

"I think that will do." Said the queen as she strode into the circle. "I demanded that you come to me because good deals of disturbing things have been revealed to me. Chief of which is that Oromis is imprisoned, and Galbatorix is free." Her dark eyes locked with his as she spoke.

"What you say is true and it will be explained for you as soon as everyone arrives." Eragon told her. A collective gasp came from the elves surrounding her. They all gripped their weapons tighter.

By this time, Xen, Arya, Aelita, and Elva had arrived. Shruiken was hovering in the air above the camp with Galbatorix, and Saphira's daughter in her dragon form.

_Galbatorix, bring her with you_. Eragon told him referring to the weredragon.

_I think that they will kill me on sight by the looks of it_. He replied.

_Arya, Elva, Aelita and Xen will accompany you_. Eragon replied after telling the four to surround Galbatorx.

"What scum are you bringing into this camp." The queen asked angered.

"Not one as bad as you think." Eragon replied.

Galbatorix approached the circle which let him through along with the other rider. Murtagh was with them as well.

"What are you dong here traitor." The queen demanded.

"Saphira said that I was needed here." He replied, not shying away from her gaze.

"You will die for your crimes traitor." The queen told him.

"I have heard that from almost every rider here many times." Galbatorix replied coolly.

"Enough." Eragon commanded. "We will all explain what has happened since our arrival here." So for the next hour, they all told the tail of what happened in the ancient language.

"...And last night Galbatorix showed us something rather interesting." Murtagh finished.

"What is this 'interesting' thing?" The Queen demanded.

_Our daughter hatched just a few days ago_. Lifskul replied.

_She only would be with Galbatorix, and even snapped at Eragon when he tried to pick her up once._ Saphira continued.

"She is a weredragon." Galbatorix finished the explanation bluntly.

"You lie. There is no such thing!" The Queen snarled. "Weredragons are only in the myths of old."

"But they are real." Arya said. "Watch."

The yellow hatchling waddled forward in front of Galbatorix and changed into the girl from the night before. She sat there on the floor and looked around at the astonished elves.

_I AM REAL_. She said forcefully. Her first words ever, and then changed back and wrapped herself around Galbatorix's ankles.

"So as you can see, I am not who you claimed I am." Galbatorix said at last.

"True...true..." The Queen replied. "But that does not excuse your destruction of the riders of old, and the separation of Aelita and Shruiken."

"No it does not." He replied. "But I still request a trial before I am punished."

"As the riders of old did, so we will do." The Queen decreed. "You shall have a trial for your crimes Galbatorix."

"That is all I ask." He replied bowing his head.

"I don't think that there is an impartial judge anywhere in this land." Elva said. "Before this last battle, everyone hated Galbatorix's guts."

"That is a hurdle that we must over come quickly." The Queen replied.

They spent hours debating different aspects of future shifts in power that would happen both before and after Galbatorix's trial no matter what the verdict was. By the time the sun was touching the horizon and they were done. Eragon and Arya flew up onto the battlements with the rest of the riders and dragons, and they watched the sun set. A new age of riders that had been born. A new age of peace and prosperity for all the land.

The End

**Ok all, that is the story Elders I apologize for the shortness and abruptness of this chapter, but I feel that it is now in its final stage and cannot continue. Just try to hold that last image in your head.**

**Anyway, I plan to write a sequel!!!**

**I won't start it for a while, and I plan to go really slowly, like once or twice a month. I also hope to have chapters that are like 5000 words long like some of the awesome fanfics that I have read.**

**READ AND REVIEW **

**I hope that everyone has enjoyed the story and I would like to thank all the reviewers.**

Citlali Angeni

sparkling-stone

Blue-Eyed Chica

smiles420

Snowfur

Grumblemon235

Reece.Stabby.Rip.Stab.Stab

Midnight  
Arya 4 ever.

bluenavydragon

Skystrike26

GuardianXAngel

tiger982305

Chaotic Veins

LeFrenchMartini

JOCELYNE

Tall Star

Jack

ali-lou

selenafanfic

Wise Pallas Athena

FantasyLord

Wise Pallas Athena

C.T. Eleczko

AllyP

daum'bid

II Kaeyne II

RasenganChidoriRenden

Peircexliger

Mostodtroll

M

Anonymous

Vincent Nuramashi

eliteElite

Daydreamer95

Reece

Heavendevil

Sahil

shikamaru the nerd

powerhungry

Irish Avalon

no one in particular

Monkeyman88j

blade2

Prina

B00K FREAK

Turok1

SpiceChaiPrincessOfDoom

emeraldeyegurl

HK-50

AryaFan

londonxlove

litokhmaikid

tigster5

Peircexliger

**Wow that is a ton of people. A total of 76 people.**

**I'm touched that so many people thought that this was a story worthy of a review.**

**Stay tuned for the update with the whole story, or at least part one in it, with out the messy bolded endings and beginnings**

**Good Bye**

**Cyberviper42**


End file.
